


Elevation

by Lyra_Verse



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, Celebrity Park Jimin, Christianity, Conservative, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Happy Ending Unless my Plans go Awry Which They Sometimes Do, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Religion, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, Switch Jeon Jungkook, Switch Park Jimin, jikook - Freeform, jungkook thinks he's straight, kookmin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-08-20 14:24:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 85,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16557446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyra_Verse/pseuds/Lyra_Verse
Summary: Jimin is a famous solo popstar in Korea signed to BigHit Entertainment. Jeon Jungkook is a new trainee at the entertainment company - he auditioned there because his idol (Namjoon AKA Rap Monster) is also signed to BigHit. Jungkook is talented, and he knows it. He quickly rises among the ranks, becoming a star trainee, and this leads management to start plans to debut Jungkook only six months into his training period...as a duo alongside the already established Park Jimin.This hurts Park Jimin's ego, and he is not welcome to the idea. However, there's nothing he can do because what the CEO says goes and he can't break his contract so he reluctantly becomes a duo with the trainee.As an idol, Jimin was always careful with his private life and keeping things under wraps. But when he begins to work closely with someone else, he soon finds that it's more and more difficult to keep certain areas of his life a secret. Especially the fact that he's currently dating another male. Will he be able to trust his new conservative duo partner to keep his secret? And will the two strangers' relationship grow to become more than what either one of them bargained for?





	1. Starting Point

Jungkook's POV:

Jeon Jungkook was not conceited enough to believe that there was nothing he lacked, but one thing he didn't lack was confidence. He believed in himself like no other, and that trait played a big part in leading him to follow his dreams of becoming a singer without looking back. Right after high school, he auditioned for BigHit Entertainment. BigHit Entertainment was a relatively unknown company in the entertainment industry of Korea, but he had researched it and didn't see why he shouldn't make it the first company he auditioned for. Besides...an up and coming star had signed there, and he wanted to follow in his footsteps.

He had first seen Namjoon perform at a lounge he and his high school friends went to one night. The way the older man rapped and emitted energy onstage drew Jungkook in. He wasn't even a big fan of rap, but something about the man's stage presence had caused him to become a fan. He ended up Googling the rapper, finding some underground rap he had done, and continued to follow him. Jungkook had always had a fascination with entertainment, and he loved to sing. But he had always kind of pushed the love of the arts to the back of his mind because his mom and dad were always so focused on him becoming a doctor or lawyer or some other highly respected employee in the future. It wasn't until he had heard Namjoon speaking on a radio show about how everyone should really find the dream that they really want and follow it that he realized without a doubt...he wanted to do that.

He wanted to be an entertainer. Be on radio, TV, and the internet and maybe inspire other people the way Namjoon was inspiring him.

So he traveled to Seoul, auditioned for BigHit, and got accepted on his first audition. His parents weren't thrilled about it, but they knew they couldn't stop him from doing what he wanted.

Currently in a mirrored room with nine other people, he didn't regret his decision one bit. They were in the middle of a dance lesson taught by a visiting choreographer, and Jungkook was picking up the moves quickly. He had always had a knack for memorization and execution. He noticed the dance instructor's eyes focusing on him in the reflection of the mirror on several occasions. He made sure to dance harder every time.

Sweat drenched his back, but it felt cooling against his hot skin. The blood pumping through his veins warmed him and urged him on. He followed the flow of the choreography perfectly until the song they were dancing to came to a melodic end.

"All right!" the instructor yelled. "Good job, everyone. That's it for today. Come back tomorrow afternoon, four PM." Everyone began to gather their belongings from the back of the room and Jungkook was going to follow suit but the instructor met his eyes in the mirror. "You. What's your name again?"

Jungkook paused and glanced around, making sure he was the one the muscular man was talking to. When he was sure that he was, he answered. "Jeon Jungkook."

"Jungkook," the instructor repeated. "Stick around."

Jungkook hung back as everyone filed out of the room. His muscles were tense. He didn't know whether he was being held back for a good reason or a bad one. When the last trainee had left the room, the instructor wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and approached Jungkook. "Hey, man," he said in English, extending his hand for a handshake. Reverting back to Korean, he continued. "You have some pretty good moves."

Jungkook felt relief and happiness at the praise. "Thank you," he said with a small nod and smile.

"How long have you been with the company?" the dance instructor asked.

"I've only just been recruited," Jikook answered. "Maybe about a month ago."

"A month! Wow! That must mean you're a natural." Jungkook smiled and looked down, flattered at the compliment. "How old are you?" the dance instructor continued.

"Nineteen," Jungkook answered. His voice became lower without his conscious knowledge. Because while he was a confident person, he realized once he started training that he was surrounded by fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen year olds who had decided to go after their dream even sooner than him. There were some even younger. It just made him determined to work harder.

"Cool. That's a good age," the dance instructor commented. "I think you'll be seeing some good results. I'm only a visiting instructor, but I'll make sure to put in a good word for you."

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Jungkook sank into a bow. "Thank you."

"No problem, no problem," the dance instructor said, giving him another handshake. "Here." He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a business card. It read: Sam Kim; Choreographer. "I'll be going back to America, where I'm from, in a couple of weeks. But when you get big, look me up." Jungkook chuckled and bowed again, pocketing the business card.

"Thanks," he said again. "I will."

That encounter left Jungkook feeling ecstatic as he walked down the hallway of BigHit. There was nothing like getting recognition for your hard work. He took the business card out again and smiled down at it as he walked. He was so wrapped up in his own head that he didn't realize that someone had rounded the corner and was walking down the hallway in his direction. He passed them without acknowledgement.

"Excuse me."

The voice caught Jungkook's attention. He stopped and turned around. And his heart pounded with anxiety and nervousness.

He was standing face to face with one of the most successful stars to come out of BigHit. In fact, the only successful star to come out of BigHit so far. Park Jimin. He looked just as charismatic in person as he did in photographs and on stages. His hair was dyed a platinum blonde and a cross earring dangled in one ear. He was also wearing blue-colored contacts and a lip sheen that made his already naturally plump and red lips seem more plump and more vibrant. He was wearing a loose button up shirt and tight leather pants. 'He must have an event today,' Jungkook thought. 'There's no way he just naturally dresses like this. Is there?'

"Y-yes?" he stuttered, realizing he was just staring.

He didn't really listen to Park Jimin's music, but he was aware of him as a celebrity and as a junior now in his company, he respected him as a senior artist.

A man Jungkook figured must be Park Jimin's manager lingered somewhat behind Jimin looking somewhat impatient and a female stylist stood next to him. Jungkook was just now noticing them; his focus had only been on Park Jimin. 'Wow,' he thought. 'A celebrity's aura indeed.'

"Are you not going to greet me?" Park Jimin asked. His voice was soft and honeyed, but there was a note of authority in it that made Jungkook's heart beat in what he assumed was nervousness.

"Oh," Jungkook said. "No," he said, intending to convey that he hadn't meant to ignore the older artist but he realized it must have sounded like he was confirming that he indeed was not going to greet him by the way Jimin's brows raised. "I mean yes," he corrected. He bowed ninety degrees. "Annyeonghaseyo. I'm a new trainee, Jeon Jungkook. Take care of me please." He stood back up and saw a smirk come across Jimin's face.

"Arasso," the singer said, satisfied with the younger trainee's sincerity. "Make sure you greet without having to be prompted next time, got it?"

"Yes, sunbaenim," Jungkook responded. He bowed his head one more time.

Jimin nodded at him giving him permission to go and then turned to continue down the hallway.

'Wow,' Jungkook thought, watching him walk away. 'Really a celebrity,' he thought, surprised at himself at the way he was starstruck.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jimin's POV:

Jimin had intended to reprimand the young man more than he had. The kid had trainee written all over him and he walked by a respected senior without so much as a glance? It was disrespectful. And Jimin needed to take his stress and anger out on something after the month he was having. But the minute the young man's wide eyes met his he found his anger dissipating. The word "cute" came to his mind unbidden.

Those large nervous eyes and that small mouth, how could he take his anger out on him? It didn't help that the kid executed such a deep bow and asked him to take care of him. Did people still do greetings like that these days? He had almost laughed at it all. So he ended up just giving a gentle reprimand.

"I talked to Min Yoongi a few minutes ago," his manager began saying the minute they stepped into the elevator to go up to the top floor. And all of Jimin's stress started to come back.

Yoongi was the producer for his upcoming album, and he and his producer were having creative differences. So his new album, which was supposed to be released in three months' time, had no songs - demo or completed - to add to it. Yoongi was a well respected and talented producer, so he didn't want to stop working with him on this but he wondered how long he could be stubborn about it. This was the first time he was going to be involved in the creative process of one of his albums, and he didn't want to sacrifice his own vision in order to adhere completely to Yoongi's, which was entirely different from what he wanted this album to be.

"And?" Jimin asked.

"He said he hasn't heard from you in two days and wants you to call him," his manager said. The door of the elevator opened, and Jimin and his small entourage started down the hallway towards the CEO's office.

"Tell him I'll call him when he records a demo with the lyrics I sent over," Jimin countered.

The manager sighed, probably hating to be the go-between, while Jimin knocked on the CEO's door.

"Come in," a male voice answered.

Sitting in front of Bang Si-Hyuk's desk was nerve-wracking, but it was something Jimin had to do. He was visiting with the purpose in mind of telling his boss that he possibly needed to push back his comeback due to all of the problems with the new album. He swallowed deeply as he sat in the plush leather armchair situated in front of the CEO's black, metal desk and he lowered his head in a respectful bow before greeting the older man with a smile that was meant to charm. "Boss," he spoke.

The CEO leaned back in his seat, reading clearly that this wasn't just a cordial visit. "What do you want?" he asked, not being fooled by Jimin's smile. "Just get to the point."

Jimin launched into an explanation about how he needed more time to prepare his album and how it would only be even better if he was granted such conditions, but the deepening frown on the CEO's face didn't give Jimin much reassurance.

"We've already pushed back the album release for a month," Bang PD said, his voice holding a sternness usually unreserved for his favortie artist, Park Jimin. "And you're saying you want to push it back again?"

"Well..." Jimin scratched the tip of his nose nervously. "Yeah."

"It's been almost a year since your last public activity." Jimin nodded as the CEO spoke. "You think your fans are going to wait for you forever? Because bigger stars than you have thought the same thing and been wrong."

Jimin hung his head and clasped his hands in front of himself as his elbows rested on each separate armrest. This meeting wasn't going as he had planned or hoped. "I don't expect anything," he said in a low voice. "But what can I do if the album isn't ready, hyungnim?"

Being addressed as the affectionate "hyungnim" didn't soften the boss' mood towards Jimin. He did have a soft spot for the star sitting in front of him because he had helped to spread his company's name, get him known, and raise them out of the red - but he had to be a businessman here. And delaying his greatest star's comeback didn't sound great for business. "Work harder," the boss instructed in a clipped tone. "That's what you can do."

Jimin hung his head again.

A stretch of silence passed with only the tinging that was Bang PD's ring being tapped against the surface of his desk. It was the sound of him thinking. Finally he spoke. "Here's what we can do," Bang PD said.

Jimin looked up at him.

"You release a digital single of my choosing, and you do a duet with Soyou. Her management team reached out asking me about this a few days ago but at the time, I didn't know if we could schedule it. But with the way things are now, I'm sure we can find the time for it, right? We release the digital single in two months and the duet two months after that. If those two songs do decently, it'll be good enough to get you airplay and let fans not forget about you while you continue to work on the album. Does that work?" the CEO finished.

A smile bloomed on Jimin's face. "That's perfect, sir. Thank you. I promise I won't disappoint you." Happiness spread through his chest. Even with the CEO's stern demeanor, he still ended up getting everything he wanted. The CEO nodded and waved him off.

"I want to hear progress on the album in two months," the CEO warned as Jimin got up to leave.

Jimin bowed and left the room with his manager and stylist, happy with the way things had gone. He had time to perfect his album and he was going to get to release two new songs before then. Things were looking up.


	2. Relationships Established

Jungkook's POV:

The second dance lessons for the day ended, Jungkook found an empty practice room and slid down to take a seat on the floor. He pulled out his phone in excitement and searched up a video clip from a new survival program airing on MBC. It was a short clip, but his heart was pounding in anticipation because - though no one but him and his close family and friends would know - it was the first time he was appearing on television.

He pressed play on the quickly loaded video and smiled when he watched the MC announce the demo of a dance that the contestants of the television show would have to learn. The demo dance video began to play and Jungkook's smile widened seeing as he was the center of a five-man group for the demo clip. The contestants oohed and ahhed, and Jungkook felt pride and accomplishment swell in his chest. He laughed, knowing his excitement was a little silly seeing as no one really knew who he was and were actually only interested in the contestants that the demo dance would be going to but in this moment, he didn't care. He was giddy all the same.

The demo choreography was the choreography that Sam Kim had taught them and complimented him on two months ago. He assumed Sam must have kept his promise and put in a good word about him to someone because he had ended up getting selected to be a dancer for this little demo team only a couple of weeks later.

He swiped out of YouTube and sent a message to Sam Kim. 'Thanks,' he messaged. 'The choreography looks great.'

He received a reply soon after. 'You look great. Check out the comments on the YouTube clip.'

Excitedly, Jungkook goes back to the YouTube clip. He hadn't even read the comments. He hadn't expected there to be any about him. But he was wrong.

 A grin grew on his face as he read some of them. 'Who's the cutie in front?' 'Is that a trainee? Wow! Look at his moves! Debut him immediately!' 'How can the dancer in front look so cute but dance so manly?' A blush spread across his cheeks as some of the comments got a little R-rated. He quickly rushed over those, but he was happy with the overall sentiment. Viewers liked him.

Another message came in on his phone. 'Oppa,' it read. 'I don't know how I'm going to stand it when you become an idol. Girls are already fawning over you when you weren't even meant to stand out. I'm jealous.'

A smirk appeared on Jungkook's face. Min Seon Woo. His girlfriend of four years.

'Facetime,' he simply messaged back.

Barely a second passed before he got notification that Seon Woo was calling him for a video chat. He answered with a smile. 

Min Seon Woo was pretty. She was pale, had thick black hair that fell in waves around her face and shoulders, and she had a face that wasn't too cute or too sexy. She was just simply pretty. Perfectly so. Jungkook had thought himself lucky when he had received her note asking him to be her boyfriend in school. And now after being accepted to his the first company he had auditioned for and finding feeling himself growing in skill and strength everyday, he was confident that he must be the luckiest man alive.

"You're jealous?" he asked when they could see each other's faces through the video screen. He softened his voice - a tone he only used for his girlfriend. "Why?" He tossed his head slightly to get the hair out of his eyes and to look more charismatic to Seon Woo.

She pouted, puffing her cheeks. Looking cute for her boyfriend. "You're too handsome," she stated. "And I barely get to see you anymore. It's only gonna get worse after you debut."

Jungkook smiled.

"What?" his girlfriend asked.

"Nothing," he answered. "It's just...You said it's only gonna get worse after I debut. Like there's no question I'm gonna debut. I like that you believe in me." Jungkook blushed slightly at his soft words. It had taken him a long time to get comfortable speaking sweetly, but he was more and more becoming better at it.

Seon Woo smiled. "Of course I believe in you, oppa. You'll debut for sure." She frowned. "I'm just sad that you'll probably forget about me."

"I won't forget about you," Jungkook assured her.

They knew it would be difficult, but Jungkook and Seon Woo had agreed to stay together even after Jungkook decided that he wanted to follow his dreams to be a star. They were sure they would find a way to make it work because what more did they need besides the feelings of enjoying knowing that they had each other?

"Arrasso," Seon Woo said with a pout. "Make sure that you don't." Her face suddenly lit up as a new thought came to her. "Hey. Have you seen any celebrities yet?"

Jungkook thought back. He usually spent most of his time in training rooms, so he didn't see much of anyone besides other trainees and instructors but he did remember the silver-haired Park Jimin he had run into in the hallway just a month after his acceptance into BigHit. "Ah, yeah," he said. "Park Jimin. I saw Park Jimin in the hallway here, and I greeted him."

The expression on Min Seon Woo's face changed instantly. Her mouth dropped open in a wide, surprised 'o' and her eyes grew to be the size of 50-won coins. "Park Jimin!" she squealed. "You saw Park Jimin?!"

Jungkook jerked back in surprise at the siren-like squeals his girlfriend was emitting. He hadn't known his comment would elicit this type of reaction.

"I love him!" she continued. "Can you get his autograph for me?"

Jungkook smiled, thinking her reaction was cute. "Yah," he said. "You love him? What about me?"

"Yah," she teased back. "My heart is big enough for two. You have to share with Jimin oppa. I've liked him since pre-debut. We go back."

Jungkook put on a frown. "Tch," he said. "I'm not getting his autograph for you."

"Please, oppa!" Seon Woo begged. "Please, please, please. My birthday's coming up!"

They haggled back and forth like that for a few more minutes until someone came to claim the dance practice room. Jungkook hurriedly rushed his girlfriend off the phone and vacated the area. He hadn't given in to his girlfriend's requests to her face, but he knew he was going to try to figure out a way to get Park Jimin's autograph for her birthday. Deep down, she probably knew it too. He always did what she wanted. He wondered, though, how he could make it happen. He hadn't so much as even glimpsed the star since that day in the hallway, and that had been two months ago.

That thought became less of a deterrent to him, however, when he realized there was another way. This was Park Jimin's agency. If he couldn't reach Park Jimin, he could definitely find a member of his staff and maybe get some pre-signed merch. It wouldn't be as personal as Park Jimin signing upon request, but his girlfriend didn't have to know how he acquired the sign. As long as he got it.

Satisfied with his plan, he headed off to his scheduled voice lessons.

Jimin's POV

Jimin was ecstatic. His album was finally coming along. He and Yoongi had managed to reach some sort of compromise in regards to what they wanted the new album to showcase. Jimin had 100% control of the lyrics, but he was allowing Yoongi to bring forth an R&B sound that he hadn't originally been intending. But the more they worked on the project, the more he liked the direction it was going. He was currently working on what was turning out to be his favorite song, but both he and Yoongi agreed that it needed a vocal killing part towards the end.

Jimin's voice was smooth and high, but sometimes he had trouble belting with his chest voice. And that's what this song needed. 

And that is what led him to making a call in to have an impromptu voice lesson. He figured if he got taught the basics of what he needed to do to healthily produce the wanted sound today, he'd be able to practice and have it perfected by the time of his comeback.

As his van pulled up to the back of the BigHit building - so as not to run into the gathered fans outside, he took a quick drink of water and then hopped down to make his way inside. Stylists, bodyguards, and his manager surrounded him but he had gotten used to all of this a while ago so it was easy to kind of ignore them as they fussed around him.

He wore a beanie, pulled down so that his silver bang halfway covered his eyes. And he wore a mask to cover the rest of his face. The rest of his body was adorned with a plain black and white Louis Vuitton track suit and sneakers.

He had just come from a radio appearance, and he would be headed to film a soda CF after this. He was sure that would take at least six hours. That's why he was grateful that his favorite voice teacher had managed to squeeze him in at this hour. Because no other time worked for him. Not that he had expected to get rejected though. Ever since his rise in fame, Jimin had become the prodigal son of BigHit Entertainment and everyone tended to bend over backwards for him. Jimin didn't mind.

He made his way inside the back doors of BigHit and immediately took his mask and beanie off. He ran his hand through his hair, leaving it becomingly mussed.

As he made his way towards the room that the voice teacher had told him to meet him in, he heard voices inside.

"We have to reschedule for today," the voice instructor was saying. "I'm sorry. Go home and come back tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" The next voice was familiar to Jimin, but he didn't quite recognize it. He pushed the slightly ajar door open a little farther to see who was speaking. Those wide eyes and that tiny mouth that seemed to be in a perpetual 'o' of surprise. It was the kid who had greeted him late. Jungkook, he said his name was. Jimin wasn't always able to be in the know of what was happening amongst his juniors since he was always pretty busy, but he knew that this Jungkook kid was pretty popular amongst both trainers and staff. He heard his name around. Apparently he was pretty talented.

"Is there a problem?" the voice instructor asked.

"A-aniyo," Jungkook said. "I'll just skip this voice lesson. We can wait until our next scheduled one; we don't have to make this one up."

"Who says?" the voice instructor asked. "Why are you telling me how to schedule the voice lessons? Who's the instructor here?"

Jimin hesitated on opening the door wider. He knew he should just go inside, that he was eavesdropping, but he was curious about how this conversation was going. He waved his entourage away because they were simply standing there quietly and looking at him questioningly, wondering if he still needed them. When he indicated that he didn't, they left, continuing on their way down the hallway. Jimin leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, and peeked back into the room. Jungkook was now standing with his hands clasped in front of him and his head down. 'He's always getting scolded when I see him,' Jimin thought. A slight smirk grew on his face.

"I'm sorry," Jungkook responded. "I just thought it would be better for both of us. You wouldn't have to come in on your day off, and I could go home like I planned."

"Ahh," the voice instructor said. "That's what this is about. You had been planning to visit home. Where do you live?"

"Busan," Jungkook answered.

"Busan," the voice instructor repeated. "Tch. That's a train ride. It's not like you live in America. You can visit home at any time. Do you think you're the only one that misses home? Or is it that you think you're so good that you don't need voice lessons?"

"Aniyo," Jungkook said, continuing to keep his head lowered. "I'm sorry."

"Be here tomorrow for the voice lesson," the instructor said again, not letting up.

Jungkook hesitated, but then bowed and agreed. "Yes, hyungnim."

"You're dismissed," the instructor finished.

Jungkook turned to leave the room. The show over, Jimin pushed the door open wider and the two people inside finally saw that he was there. "Hyung," he said to the voice instructor. "When did you get so strict?"

Jungkook's eyes grew to the size of quarters again and a smile stretched across the instructor's face, all traces of the stern mood he had previously been in gone. "Park Jimin!" he greeted, coming forward to give Jimin a hug.

"Lee Minki!" Jimin greeted, equally excited. They embraced and exchanged greetings. Jimin noticed Jungkook out of the side of his eye, awkwardly standing in the room due to the doorway being currently blocked. He stepped away from Minki and wrapped an arm around Jungkook's shoulders. He felt the younger man tense. "I heard a bit of what just happened. Just give us both a voice lesson at the same time," Jimin said. "I don't want to take anyone else's slot."

"A-aniyo," Jungkook said hurriedly, stepping away from Jimin's embrace and bowing respectfully. "It's okay. I don't mind."

Jimin smiled. The young man was more muscular than him (he was glad he wore insoles inside his shoes today; it made them the same height), but he had the cutest face. And he seemed to be on the shy side, which made him even more endearing. "Well, I do," Jimin answered. "And I'll treat you after this."

Minki, even though he originally protested because they both had "different things to work on", gave in to Jimin, deciding to give them a voice lesson at the same time.

That's what led to Jimin leaning against the piano and watching as Jungkook struggled to make sounds come out of his throat. The harder Jungkook struggled, the more Jimin smiled. Because he knew that the reason the other man was struggling was solely because he was in the room.

"Relax," Minki instructed. "These notes are easy for you. What's the matter?"

"Sorry, hyung," Jungkook replied with a short glance toward Jimin.

"Remember. Breathe. Support your vocals with your diaphragm. Jimin, go put your hand on his stomach and make sure he's breathing," Minki prompted.

Jungkook's eyes got wider still. Jimin didn't know they could grow to be that big. He held back a sudden laugh. 'Why is he so cute?' he wondered. The younger man's shyness awoke Jimin's flirtatious nature. He walked forward and placed himself slightly behind and to the left of Jungkook, wrapping his arm around him to place his right hand on his abdomen. As expected, he felt Jungkook's whole body tense. With his left hand hanging casually by his side, he leaned in to speak softly next to Jungkook's ear. "Nice abs," he teased, feeling the definition of them beneath the young man's shirt.

"All right," the instructor said, not noticing the tension emanating from one of his singers. "Jungkook, just sing as you usually do and Jimin, give his stomach a push every time you feel him not breathing properly."

"Got it," Jimin stated. He stole a glance at Jungkook's side profile. The kid was frozen. And for some reason he was getting immense pleasure out of it. He went ahead and pushed Jungkook's stomach lightly because he was pretty sure he hadn't felt a breath ever since the moment he had come over. "You know," he said into Jungkook's ear. "Most doctors agree that if you don't breathe you die." He tapped Jungkook's stomach. "Come on."

It took a moment, but Jungkook's taut stomach finally pulled in, indicating that he had released a breath. Jimin then felt his stomach come out as he drew in a breath. Then the series repeated.

"Good job," Jimin whispered with a smile.

He had previously been in a rush, but at the moment, Jimin couldn't remember what he had been in a rush for. He was enjoying the time making this kid squirm. He slid his right hand from Jungkook's stomach and moved it to his back so that he could step around and get a clearer view of Jungkook's face. He stood beside Jungkook and placed his left hand on Jungkook's stomach so that he could keep up the task he was assigned while watching the young man's face at the same time. Jungkook glanced nervously in his direction and shifted as if he wanted to step away but kept standing where he was. Jimin smiled.

Minki started playing the accompaniment of the song Jungkook was practicing on the piano, and Jungkook began to sing. Like the other times, his voice was shaky and thin. He wasn't singing confidently. Minki stopped playing abruptly. "Jungkook," he said simply, his voice a warning. The instructor was getting frustrated. Minki opened his mouth to start scolding Jungkook for the second time that day but Jimin called his name and shook his head, telling him not to.

Jimin focused back in on Jungkook. "Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked, his voice soft.

He was surprised when Jungkook answered him honestly. "Yes," the younger man said, once again glancing at the older man before glancing away quickly.

A short laugh escaped Jimin's lips; he pulled his hand up to cover his mouth, surprised that the sound just came out. But the kid's honesty regardless of his shyness made him even more enjoyable. "So I found your weakness," Jimin continued with a smirk. When he noticed Jungkook glance at him questioningly, he answered the look. "I've heard so many things about you. All of them good. I was starting to think there was nothing you were weak in. But your own nature is getting in your way. How are you going to be a star for millions of people if you can't overcome your own self right now? In front of two people? In this room?"

Jungkook turned to him and they finally met eyes for more than two seconds. Jimin was slightly taken aback. For once, the younger man wasn't wearing the scared bunny expression. Instead, there was a measure of determination and intensity in the younger man's gaze. An intensity that surprised Jimin by causing his gut to jolt. After a few seconds' stare, he found himself being the one to look away. But he saw the movement of Jungkook's nod. First to him and then to Minki, letting him know he was ready.

Jimin placed his hand back on Jungkook's stomach and the song began again.

Unlike last time, Jungkook's voice was steady. He was still singing at a slightly low volume but soon, his volume began to rise as he got more into the song. His eyes fell closed, and his smooth voice rang out in an emotional peal. Jimin's lips slowly grew into an upturned smile. So this was why he was being called the "Golden Trainee". He mouthed a 'wow' over to Minki, who nodded with a satisfied expression on his face.

Jungkook's voice was different than Jimin's. His lower register vibrated in a becoming timbre. Jimin had the strange sensation of being sucked in by it to the point that he began to lean forward slightly, wanting to dive into the notes that were coming out of Jungkook's mouth. He didn't even realize that his own mouth was opening until his own voice emanated and harmonized with the beautiful notes already in the room. Singing in a higher register, his notes layered the simple song Jungkook was practicing with and brought it to new heights. And for the first time, he saw Jungkook smile. They finished singing the song together and Jimin was...disappointed. He had just been getting into it.

"Want to sing another one?" Minki asked, seeming to sense the unspoken desire in the room.

"Yes!" Jungkook answered first. Eagerly. "If it's okay with you, hyung," he said quickly, looking at Jimin. Jimin nodded.

And just like that what started out as a voice lesson became almost an hour of Jimin and Jungkook having an impromptu jam session. Since becoming a celebrity, Jimin barely had fun singing anymore. But this was fun! It was no longer training, and it wasn't rehearsal. It was just the pure enjoyment of singing. 

Jungkook seemed to be enjoying it as well. He and Jimin were currently facing each other and belting out a two-man harmonized version of 2AM's This Song. Some of Jungkook's shyness seemed to have dissolved in the hour that they had spent together. When they finished the song, they were both flushed with happiness and breathing heavily from their hour-long two-man concert. Jimin went forward and tousled Jungkook's hair before turning to check the time on his phone. His happiness turned into surprise. "Oh," he said. "An hour's up already?" He glanced at Minki, who was swiping out of something on his phone, which was aimed in Jimin and Jungkook's direction. "Were you recording us?" Jimin asked.

"Yes," Minki said with a smirk.

Jimin narrowed his eyes. "Don't do anything weird with that footage, hyung," he joked with a playful smirk.

"I just thought it'd be good to keep for a record of Jungkook's progress," he said. "Hey, speaking of...Sorry we didn't get to the new song you wanted to practice. I just got caught up."

"It's okay," Jimin said, gathering his phone. "We all did." He looked at Jungkook who was still standing in the room. "Sorry," Jimin said, going towards him. "I said I would treat you, but I have to make it a rain check. I have a schedule after this. But enjoy your trip home tomorrow, okay? The voice lesson you scheduled for him for tomorrow is called off, right?" he asked Minki, confirming.

"Yes," Minki said. Minki pulled a bag over his shoulder, closed the piano, and began to walk toward the exit. "No lesson tomorrow. Get some rest. And Jimin? Don't work so hard. I'll see you guys later."

"Bye, Minki," Jimin said.

"Bye." Jungkook bowed.

"I'm going to head out too," Jimin said with a charismatic tilt of his head. "I'll see you around." He started toward the door, but Jungkook's voice stopped him.

"W-wait. H-hyung."

Jimin turned back around. Jungkook hesitated for a bit, looking for the words, before speaking. "Can I get an autograph?"


	3. Day With Park Jimin

Jungkook's POV:

Jimin was preening in front of him. He watched as the star swiped his hand through his hair for...at least the fifteenth time in the past hour. He angled his face handsomely as if he was in the middle of a photoshoot when, in reality, he was simply riding inside of a van. A van that Jungkook somehow found himself inside of. The van had a pretty large interior with seats that sat facing each other. Jungkook was currently sitting in a window seat, facing Jimin.

After asking for his autograph, Jimin had stood slightly taken aback for a second and then his face had lifted into a proud smirk. He had then quickly glanced at his phone again - checking the time - and after seeing that he really couldn't spare anymore minutes, he had invited Jungkook along for the ride to his commercial shoot. Not wanting to be rude and needing to get that autograph, Jungkook had readily agreed to come along. After only a few minutes in the celebrity's presence, it hadn't taken Jungkook long to figure out that the man liked being flattered. His own lips lifted into a small smile now as he watched the other man practically pose for him. Jungkook quickly understood that Jimin figured the autograph must be for him; he didn't know whether he was going to break the news that the autograph was actually for his girlfriend. He was quite enjoying watching Jimin posture. 

"So when did you know you wanted to be a singer?" Jimin asked Jungkook.

"Not long," Jungkook answered. "I've always liked singing, but I didn't really commit to really wanting it until...well, until I saw Namjoon hyung performing at a lounge."

"Namjoon?" Jimin asked with a quirk of his eyebrow. "Hm. Have you met him yet?"

"No," Jungkook said. "I want to. He's the reason I auditioned for BigHit."

"Wow," Jimin said. "He'll be happy to hear that. He's feeling a little restless lately because he hasn't officially debuted yet. I can let you meet him. He's a close friend of mine."

A smile bloomed across Jungkook's face. "Really, hyung?" He wrung his hands together in excitement. He didn't know how he would repay Jimin's kindness. First he had fixed the voice lesson problem and now this. He was quite surprised to receive such considerations from a star as big as Jimin. He bowed his head. "You don't have to, but thank you."

"I will," Jimin assured him. "But..." Jimin looked at Jungkook coyly. "Is he your favorite singer?"

"He was," Jungkook answered. "But then I met you, hyung."

It was obvious flattery, but the reaction was immediate. A wide smile bloomed across Jimin's face, and he let out an uncontained laugh that bubbled over from the pits of his stomach. Jungkook couldn't help but to smile in response to it. He was proud of himself for causing it.

"Ahh~" Jimin said, trying to reign his smile back in. "You know how to talk." He called to his driver and asked for a Sharpie, which was handed back to him. "Do you have anything for me to sign?" he asked Jungkook. "Picture? Shirt?" He lifted an eyebrow. "Body?"

Jungkook took a moment to answer, Jimin's sudden flirtation throwing him off for a second. He didn't know how to react when the other man just said and did things like that out of nowhere. He had never come across anyone who flirted so bluntly. Especially not a stranger. He had interacted with male friends who were playful, of course, but there was something about Jimin's flirtation that caught him somewhat off guard and made him flustered. "Uhh, no," he said. "I don't have anything."

"Body it is," Jimin concluded. Before Jungkook could react, Jimin had dove across the space separating them and was practically in his lap with Sharpie poised.

Surprised and legitimately panicked, Jungkook pushed the other man away, his strength causing Jimin to fly right back into his own seat. A little shocked at what he had just done, he thought maybe he had just ruined everything but that wild laughter came from Jimin again. Jungkook released a breath, relieved, and began to laugh softly himself. It seemed things were still okay. He would have to remind himself to expect the unexpected with this man, though, and not react so strongly. There was an aura around Jimin that was very delicate. He didn't want to hurt him.

"Ah, I got it," Jimin said, as if he didn't just get shoved roughly by a junior trainee. Jungkook was amazed at his nonchalance. He was grateful for it, though. And he wasn't going to mention the fact that he thought it was strange that he just got away with what he had just done.

Jimin pulled a short red tie from a bag that lay on the floor of the van. "This is a tie I've worn in some of my performances," Jimin explained as he signed it. The Sharpie flew across the fabric with a flourish and then he held it out to Jungkook when he was done. "Will that do?"

Jungkook's mouth fell open. He was again shocked by the star's generosity. "Y-yes!" he stammered. It was more than enough! His girlfriend would love this!

Jimin slid back into his seat with a smile, seemingly satisfied with Jungkook's eagerness upon receiving the gift. He pushed his fingers back through his hair. Again.

"We're almost at the filming site," Jimin said, gazing coolly out the window - posing again. Jungkook watched him with his lips lifted in a half smile. He was an amusing person. "I'll have my driver take you back when we reach there. If you want to stop and get something to eat, that's fine too. Just think of him as your driver for the rest of the night."

That unhindered kindness again. Jungkook was starting to have a strong suspicion that it was tied into the other man's continuous need for validation. He pursed his lips to the side. What he was so grateful towards the other man for now seemed like something worrying instead. Many people could take advantage of a personality like Jimin's.

Jungkook shook his head, wondering why he needed to worry. It was Jimin's issue. The celebrity was still a stranger to him. He bowed once again to the other man. "Thanks, hyung," he said. He thought about settling back into his seat and letting the rest of the ride finish in silence, but curiosity nipped at him. "What are you filming?"

Jimin smiled and swiped his hand through his hair. 'Sixteen'. Jungkook began to count in his mind how many times he saw that action. "Commercial. Soda." He reached over to the seat next to him and grabbed a stack of stapled pages that Jungkook was just now noticing. It must be the script. It was the first time Jungkook was seeing an official commercial script. His eyes widened in wonder. Many things were still fascinating to him as only a few months ago, he had still just been a simple schoolboy in Busan.

Jimin must have noticed his expression. "Do you want to see?" he asked, letting his wrist fall slightly in Jungkook's direction - languidly holding the script out to him.

"Yes," Jungkook said with a nod.

Jimin nodded as if to say Jungkook was okay to take the script. But Jungkook realized too late that he was being baited. When he reached out for the script, Jimin pulled it back out of his reach. When he looked at the other man questioningly, Jimin tilted his head invitingly. "Come sit next to me."

Jungkook couldn't believe it. His mouth hung open in slight shock and he couldn't help but to let out a short laugh - one, because he couldn't believe how shameless and flirtatious the other man was. And two, because he didn't quite know how to react and he needed to get his bearings.

He could easily refuse and probably still eventually get to look at the script. He knew that just from being in Jimin's presence for only a couple of hours that the other man was easygoing. But being playful like this was obviously just ingrained in the other man's nature and if he didn't refuse, it could prompt the other man to continue to just be himself with him and strengthen the relationship they were currently growing. Which was beneficial for him as a junior from the same company.

After weighing the pros and cons, Jungkook made a decision. He stood up and walked over to the seat Jimin currently occupied to sit next to the other man. He had to hypnotize himself into not being shy about being so close to another person - especially a stranger - as he squeezed himself into the spot where Jimin made room for him on the seat that was made to realistically only hold one person. But he surprisingly fit pretty well. Jimin had pushed himself somewhat to edge, pressing himself against the window but he seemed comfortable with his legs crossed and facing Jungkook, who took up the majority of space. Jimin propped his head onto his hand, his elbow resting against the headrest. This practically made his face only inches apart from Jungkook's, but Jungkook continued to hypnotize himself. Telling himself he was comfortable and not anxious. He was a normal, outgoing young man. Yep.

He tried to ignore the way his heart suddenly pounded, the way his palms suddenly clammed up with sweat, and the way his face burned. And he especially tried to ignore the way the other man just continued to stare at him without blinking. He didn't dare look at him, but he was sure if he did, he would see that familiar sly smirk adorning the celebrity's face.

He was sure his face was the color of a tomato, but he still got rewarded for his action by having the script placed in his lap.

Jungkook picked it up, grateful to have something to focus on besides the man that was - quite literally - breathing down his neck. 'He's so strange,' Jungkook thought, flustered, before beginning to flip through the pages.

So this was what a script looked like. He saw lines of action meant for the actor, suggestions for camera angles, and dialogue. It legitimately interested him. He managed to get completely focused on the script despite his uncomfortable situation until he felt Jimin touching him.

He felt Jimin's hair tickling his cheek as the man leaned his head on his shoulder.

Jungkook tensed up completely. 'He's strange!' he thought, growing more flustered. To the point where he was becoming annoyed. 'Who acts like this with someone they don't know!' he wondered silently. 'Is he a pervert maybe?' His mind flashed to the many stories he had heard about trainees being taken advantage of by people in a higher position than then. 'Couldn't be...' Jungkook thought...'But maybe?'

He thought back to the way Jimin had wrapped his arm around him during their voice lesson. The way he had commented on his body, whispering in his ear.

'Nice abs.' 

Jungkook shivered, the memory now seeming creepy. He rolled his shoulder, trying to give Jimin the hint to move his head, but if Jimin got the hint, he didn't take it. The older man simply reached out and turned the page of the script. "This is my favorite part," he commented casually.

Jungkook was still frozen. He could no longer act normal.

Something about Jungkook is that he had never been a big fan of skinship. Ever since he was young, he hated it. It had been so bad that his parents, when he was young, thought he possibly suffered from autism. That hadn't been the case though. He had come from the doctor's office with the simple diagnosis of "a very particular young man who likes his space."

So to have a stranger push so carelessly into his boundaries was disconcerting to say the least.

Jungkook opened his mouth to ask the star for some room, but he was cut off by the ringing of Jimin's cell phone. Jimin grabbed it quickly, smiled when he saw who the call was from, and then he answered it. While answering, he tapped Jungkook's knee and tilted his head back to Jungkook's previous seat. He was telling him to move back.

Jungkook got up, relieved, and moved back to his own seat, finally able to breathe freely once again. As he settled in his seat, he vaguely wondered who had called to cause him to dismiss him back to his seat so quickly.

"Hey." Jimin's voice was soft and gentle and a wistful smile played across his face.

'Ah,' Jungkook thought, recognizing those mannerisms. It's how he acted when he got calls from his Seon Woo. He looked down at the script he still held, pretending to read in order to give Jimin some privacy. He was a little surprised the other man had a girlfriend. His heart went out to her. He didn't think he would be able to deal with having a partner as fliratious as Jimin. It would drive him crazy.

"I can't," Jimin continued to speak softly, his voice seeming to lower. "I'm not alone."

Jungkook felt a blush go all the way to his ears. 'Just what are they talking about?' He continued to pretend to read. He wished he really could tune out the nearby conversation, but it was difficult. Especially with the way Jimin suddenly let out a happy giggle. He bent over at the waist to laugh at whatever the person on the other end of the line said. "Oh, really?" Jimin asked. "That's great. Me? On my way to shoot a commercial. I'm pretty busy for the rest of the week, but I should be able to carve out an hour or two next week."

Jungkook continued to blush, feeling uncomfortable.

That lasted for the rest of the ride. Jungkook was relieved when the van finally stopped and Jimin hung up the phone, a smile still lingering on his face. Jungkook thought he might have forgotten he was there, but that wasn't the case. Jimin addressed him. "Yah, let's exchange phone numbers."

Jungkook's eyebrows shot up in surprise before fumbling in his pocket for his phone. He went to his contacts and then held the phone out to Jimin who programmed his number in. Jungkook could only think about how his girlfriend would freak if she found out he had the celebrity's number in his phone. He watched as Jimin called his phone and saved his own number inside. He then handed the phone back to Jungkook. "I still owe you dinner," Jimin said standing up to leave the van as the driver opened the back doors. "I'll call you."

Jungkook craned his neck when he caught a glimpse of all of the crew members and filming equipment that was setting up around the site. His mouth fell open. 'Wow.' People were moving hurriedly yet purposefully, all in a rush but all knowing exactly where they needed to be and what they were supposed to be doing.

Jimin looked over his shoulder, probably to see what had him so awed, and then looked back at Jungkook. He paused for a second.

"Unless..." Jimin started. "You wanna stick around for the shoot?"

The minute the question left Jimin's mouth, Jungkook knew his answer. "Yes," he said. "I wanna stick around."

A chuckle left Jimin's mouth and he turned to his manager who had followed behind them in his own vehicle. "It's like I'm being shadowed," Jungkook heard Jimin say. He would have thought he was being mocked if it wasn't for the good-natured way that Jimin spoke the words and then turned back to him with shining eyes, welcoming him. "Okay," he said. "But...it's gonna take a while. Like a few hours. Are you sure?"

Jungkook nodded. He didn't care. This was all fascinating to him. The filming process, the crew...and even though he wasn't consciously acknowledging it...the delicate man that was currently standing and smiling up at him, Park Jimin. It was all fascinating.


	4. Dongsaeng

**Jungkook's POV**

People spoke over each other and rushed here and there as Jimin weaved effortlessly through the crowd. Jungkook made sure to stay close to him as he looked around, trying to take in everything. His heart pumped in excitement upon seeing all of the filming equipment, and he caught a glimpse of what he assumed was the set - already built and decorated to perfection. Though a few crew members still darted around on the brightened area, making sure everything was where it should be.

They were inside of a studio having been ushered there by Jimin's manager the minute they stepped out of the van. A production assistant had immediately rushed over to them to give them a quick rundown - "The director's late, but he should be showing up shortly. You can go ahead and start getting ready. My assistant will let you know when we're ready to shoot." Jungkook had zoned out after that, unable to keep up with her rapid-fire speech. Jimin had seemed to understand everything though because he nodded afterwards and even had time to give the short brunette woman a soft smile that left her blushing.

Jungkook bowed slightly and continuously as they passed through the crowd because Jimin was introducing him to everyone he knew. And apparently he knew a lot of people.

"This is Jungkook, my dongsaeng," he was currently saying to an older man with dark black hair and glasses. The hair was messy and the glasses were smudged. From the way that the man constantly looked around, Jungkook assumed it was a lack of time issue that had the man looking a little less unkempt than many. "Jungkook-" Jungkook almost jumped when he felt Jimin's hand wrap around his wrist gently to pull him to stand next to him. "This is Jun Hye, a famous CF producer. He's the one who got me this job."

"Ah," Jungkook said, realizing that this was Jimin's way of telling him that he was in front of an important person. "Annyeonghaseyo," he greeted politely, bowing deeply.

Jun Hye chuckled and immediately spoke to Jungkook in a casual manner. "Jimin is the first one I call whenever I see that a casting director needs a pretty boy."

"Ah, hyung~!" Jimin whined, affronted. "I'm not pretty; I'm handsome!"

Jungkook pressed his lips tightly together, tempted to agree with the producer.

Jun Hye waved his hand dismissively in Jimin's direction. "What about you?" he asked Jungkook. "Are you an actor?" He held his hand out as if he was framing Jungkook in a picture. "You're handsome enough."

"A-ani-" Jungkook started to say but Jimin cut him off.

"He's with BigHit," Jimin said. "And you should definitely keep him in mind if anything comes up."

"Arrasso...Great." Jun Hye pulled his phone out from his pocket and snapped a quick picture of Jungkook before the younger man could even say anything. "I'll let you know if anything comes up. But anyway...I gotta go. Catch you guys later. Yah! Min Young Hye! Stop right there!" He left just as soon as he had arrived, yelling after someone over Jungkook's shoulder.

Jungkook stared at Jimin with wide eyes as the older man resumed walking. "I...I don't know anything about acting," he said.

Jimin waved his hand barely glancing a look back over his shoulder towards the younger man. "Commercial shooting is more modeling than acting. And even still...It doesn't matter. Lesson number one...Never say no to an opportunity. Especially in this business. You never know what can happen so say yes to everything, be nice to everybody, and remember birthdays. Networking 101."

Jungkook nodded, feeling as if he should be taking notes.

"Besides," Jimin continued as they reached his dressing room and Jimin settled into a chair in front of a large vantiy table neatly stocked with makeup and hair products. "I know trainees don't get paid so if you book an individual project like a modeling gig or a commercial...that's money in your pocket. So why not, right?"

Jungkook nodded again. He couldn't argue with that. He watched in amazement as a hairstylist and makeup artist immediately swooped in to begin prepping Jimin for his upcoming commercial shoot. The star engaged them in idle chatter that kept them laughing. Envious of the ease in which Jimin maneuvered and controlled social interactions, Jungkook allowed himself to stare, somewhat mesmerized by the amount of charisma Jimin had. 'This must be why he's so famous,' he pondered. 'Park Jimin attracts people.'

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Jimin's POV**

Jimin felt Jungkook's eyes on him, and he enjoyed it. The kid was cute. Almost like a child being taken to an amusement park for the first time.

He purposefully acted natural under the kid's stare, not looking up to meet his gaze. Park Jimin didn't consider himself a psychic, but he was very good at reading people. And he could tell pretty early on that Jungkook was an introvert. He knew skinship and close proximity to strangers made Jungkook feel awkward and uncomfortable, and he knew if he looked up to catch him staring now that Jeon Jungkook would be embarrassed. Jeon Jungkook would quickly turn away, averting his gaze. And he didn't want that. He wanted Jeon Jungkook to keep staring at him.

He parted his lips to accomodate the makeup artist's quick swipes across his lips in application of the makeup meant to accentuate his already plump features.

"I'm hungry," he said, suddenly aware of the fact that he hadn't eaten anything that day.

The makeup artist - Do Yeon, a young woman with dark hair falling around her shoulders, pulled air between her teeth. "Don't you dare," she whispered.

Jimin smirked, recognizing the frustration. It always seemed to be when he was sitting down getting his makeup done that he was hit with the sudden urge to eat. He blamed it on the fact that, usually, the amount of work he did throughout the day kept him so busy that he forgot to even grab a snack and it wasn't until he was sitting down - fairly idle - that he realized he was starving. But, of course, his makeup artist didn't understand that. She thought he was purposefully being a pain in her side and threatening the smooth and careful paint she had already applied to his lips.

To support his statement, his stomach produced a mighty growl.

"See?" he said proudly, pointing to his stomach.

Do Yeon sighed loudly and ignored him, moving to the table to grab a tool to brush his eyebrows into a neat line.

"I can go get you something." It wasn't until he spoke that Jimin looked over at Jungkook again. A smile grew on his face at the offer and the earnest expression on the younger man's face. ' _Cute,'_ he thought for the thousandth time that day.

"Don't you dare," Do Yeon said again, this time the order pointed at Jungkook.

Ignoring her, Jimin spoke to Jungkook. "Can you?" he said in a soft, slightly whining voice. A tone he was used to using to get his way. "Do you know where the snack table is?"

Jungkook nodded. "I saw it coming in."

"They should have sushi. Bring the whole tray," Jimin requested.

Jungkook nodded while Do Yeon tugged at her hair in frustration. "Sorry," Jungkook said to her with a bow before heading out to grab the tray.

_'So cute._ ' Jimin thought. One thousand and one.

"I'm going to make you do your own makeup next time," Do Yeon muttered grumpily.

"Noona~" Jimin implored softly, taking her hand. "Aniya~"

"Tch." Do Yeon snatched her hand away but her demeanor was already softening. "Okay, okay..." She grumbled. "Just sit still."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jimin leaned back in his chair, hair styled and makeup done - ready for his close-ups. But the director still was yet to arrive, so he just lounged against the back of his chair with his head lolled back and his mouth open, allowing his new dongsaeng to carefully place pieces of sushi in his mouth with chopsticks. "Make sure not to smear my lip gloss or Do Yeon will kill both of us," Jimin said before opening his mouth wide again.

Jungkook picked up another piece of sushi between the chopsticks he held and placed it delicately on Jimin's tongue, making sure to completely bypass his lips. Jimin closed his mouth over the slightly spicy sushi roll and tried to hold back his amusement at seeing the amount of concentration on Jungkook's face, as if he was completing an action that was equivalent to disarming a bomb. "You eat too," Jimin urged, speaking around the food in his mouth.  
  
"I can't," Jungkook said. "I'm on a diet."

Jimin glanced around the room before looking back at Jungkook. "I don't see anyone watching, do you?" he prompted.

A secret smile pulled at Jungkook's lips before he picked up a piece of sushi and popped it into his own mouth. His eyes widened slightly with the taste. "Mmm," he said.

"Good, right?" Jimin said, his chin propped on his hand. He enjoyed watching every little expression that passed across the young man's face. He was animated in a very subtle way.

Jungkook nodded and hurriedly put another piece in his mouth when he was done with the first.

"My advice in regards to the diets," Jimin said. "Is to ignore them. There will always be someone telling you you could lose a little more weight or look just a little bit better. You can't satisfy everyone, so you need to just listen to your body. It's the most important critic. When your body tells you it's hungry, eat. When your body tells you it's tired, rest. When your body tells you it's in pain, heal it. Then you'll be in your best condition."

It wasn't until Jimin stopped speaking that he took notice of the way Jungkook was looking at him...with a deep intensity that caused Jimin to get caught in his stare. It was the same way he had looked at him back in the vocal practice room. Jimin couldn't help the slow upturn of his lips that came as a result of the eye contact. This was the second time he was getting a first-hand look at the confidence underlying Jungkook's reserved nature. It made his stomach perform a mysterious somersault. Unknowingly, he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, running his tongue over it.

That broke the spell.

"Hyung!" Jimin's eyebrows rose at Jungkook suddenly addressing him with wide eyes. "Your lipstick!"

'Oh no!' Jimin quickly turned his eyes to the mirror and leaned in to see what damage he had done. As expected, his lip tint was slightly faded. He hurriedly looked around the makeup products to see if he could find the lip product Do Yeon had used so that he could recreate her work before she saw him again and scolded him. He sighed a breath of relief when he found and quickly uncapped it to apply more. As he handled that task, his mind could finally catch up to what Jungkook had said. "Lipstick?" he said. "Yah. This is lip gloss! Lip gloss. I'm a man." He glanced petulantly at Jungkook.

Jungkook smiled and took the makeup the minute Jimin was done with it, looking at the label. "It's lipstick, hyung," he said again, after having apparently gotten affirmation from the label on the makeup. He could barely contain the giggle that escaped him until it became a full-blown snicker, his nose wrinkling with the effort of his laughter. 

Even though he was the target of the other man's teasing, Jimin couldn't help but to start to laugh along with him. He reached forward to slap Jungkook's chest lightly before snatching the makeup away and replacing it on the vanity. "Let's just call it lip stain."

Jungkook laughed harder at that.

"Don't laugh," Jimin said, even though his own words were being drowned in bubbling amusement. "You better get used to it because you're going to be wearing it too when you debut. Come here." Jimin stood up with the lipstick in his hands, uncapping it. Still laughing, Jungkook half-heartedly tried to hold him back from touching the makeup wand Jimin was brandishing onto his lips. He gently held Jimin's small wrists as the other man used all of his body weight - to not much avail - to fall into him. "Be still. Be still," Jimin commanded mockingly.

"All right, all right." Jungkook said. "I'll stop, I'll stop laughing."

"Stop lying. You're still laughing right now," Jimin said as he continued to try to get to Jungkook's lips while the other man held him off.

"That's because you're making me laugh."

"What's going on in here?" a voice suddenly interrupted.

The smiles melted off of the two men's faces as they turned to see who had entered the room. A sobering atmosphere immediately descended when Jimin recognized the director, Michael. He was an older Korean man with sunken jaws and thick eyebrows partially hidden by large square-shaped glasses. He had a permanent five o'clock shadow and always wore a blue snapback cap, facing forward. He held a rolled up script in his hand and chewed gum slowly, his shrewd gaze taking in the two men in the room. Jimin stepped away from Jungkook with a somber expression. He clasped his two hands in front of himself and bowed slightly to greet the other man. "Annyeonghaseyo, sunbaenim," he said. "This is Jungkook." He turned to Jungkook and pointed towards the director. "This is the director, Michael." Jungkook bowed politely with the greeting, his expression back to that slightly shocked and curious expression that would normally make Jimin want to smile with amusement. But he suddenly wasn't in the mood. And he was sure it was all due to the director's entrance. He wasn't exactly a fan.

He looked up at the apologetic and slightly frantic expressions on the faces of the assistants that trailed behind the director. Jimin had been expecting some kind of notification when the director stepped foot on set. He would have been grateful. He needed to mentally prepare whenever he had to deal with working with this man.

"Jungkook..." Michael said, his eyes taking in the younger man before turning back to Jimin. "This your new boy toy?" he asked. "You know my rules. I don't like personal relations on my set."

Jimin bit his tongue to keep his annoyance at bay. "He's my assistant," he lied.

Michael's eyes went back to Jungkook as if studying him and then he nodded. "Sure, sure." His eyes slid back to Jimin. "Let me look at what they styled you in and see if they followed my directions." He stepped forward and walked slowly around Jimin, looking at his outfit. A white, slightly see-through button-up dress shirt tucked into tight, white leather pants.

Jimin couldn't help but to tense up as the older man circled him as if he was prey. He could almost feel the man's eyes on his skin as if they were hands. He clenched his teeth to control the shudder that wanted to travel through his body.

Having worked with Michael on multiple projects before, Jimin knew his discomfort was rational. The man was overly touchy and had insinuated more than professional interest in Jimin many times before. Many times in which Jimin had had to deliver a polite way of saying, "No, I don't want to fuck you," without jeopardizing his career and having rumors spread about him being "difficult to work with" from the very man who was currently sizing him up like a piece of meat.

Michael was a powerful man with extensive connections in the industry. It was unwise to get on his bad side.

Jimin felt a tug at the bottom of his shirt and he couldn't help but to flinch slightly. A small smirk lifted the corner of Michael's mouth. "You realize this shirt can't stay like this for the shoot. It'll have to come out. And we'll unbutton it."

Jimin's stomach turned in a similar way to whenever he drank too much and the contents wanted to come back up. "I know," he said, keeping his voice clipped. "I'll take care of it when we start filming."

"Good, good. You do that," Michael muttered. His eyes traveled down to the way the tight pants hugged Jimin's ample bottom, and Jimin could feel the director's eyes linger. He rolled his eyes and forced himself to stay still. But after a few more seconds, he couldn't help but to speak.

"Everything should be fine," he said, his tone a little harder than normal.

"It sure is," the director muttered, his voice disgustingly heavy and low. When Jimin felt a slap on his bottom, there was nothing slight about his flinch. He physically  jolted as if wanting to jump out of his skin. "Let's get started then," the director said, walking past Jimin, that sickening smirk still curving his lips.

When he left the room, Jimin let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding and grabbed a bottled water angrily from the table next to him. He gulped down half of it to cool the burning rage within himself that was built of both frustration and helplessness. It wasn't until he heard Jungkook's voice that he remembered his new dongsaeng was in the room. He had immediately been blinded by simple anger towards one man the moment he entered. "Hyung."

Jimin turned to Jungkook and saw that he was holding the lip stain out to him, but it was Jungkook's expression that held Jimin's attention. His face was colored with concern and confusion. Jimin blushed, suddenly embarrassed about the display that had just taken place. He had spent two hours putting on the act of a cool sunbae only to have it come crashing down with a demonstration of his powerlessness. "Thanks," he said, taking the lip stain. He didn't meet Jungkook's eyes. "You can come watch me if you want."

'Though I don't know why you would want to watch someone as pathetic as me,' Jimin thought.

Jungkook nodded. "Arrasso."

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** Jungkook's POV **

Jungkook frowned.

He had been watching the process of Jimin filming his commercial for the past two hours and he couldn't enjoy it. Watching how the equipment moved and was manned would have fascinated him in normal circumstances, but he couldn't pay attention to the moving cameras or how the images were captured onscreen because every couple of minutes, that director was making some inappropriate comment.

Watching how Jimin played to the camera and accentuated his best features would have fascinated him as it had before throughout the day, but he couldn't focus because the director kept calling cut, telling Jimin to undo another button or expose his shoulder.

Jungkook pressed his hands into his pockets and shifted on his feet, agitation making him restless.

The longer Jimin posed for Michael, the more uncomfortable he felt. It read on his face and in his body. He hadn't genuinely smiled once ever since the man showed up. And it was as if Jimin's own agitated feelings were feeding Jungkook's.

Jungkook remembered the stray thoughts he had had in the van about Jimin, and he immediately knew he had been mistaken. Jimin was no pervert.  _Michael_ was a pervert.

He growled low in his throat when Michael called cut once again. He wasn't entirely sure why this was upsetting him so much. Maybe it was a personal affront to his own sense of justice; maybe he was upset that the once smiling Jimin was now tense and angry; maybe he was upset that so many people clearly saw what was happening and couldn't - or  _wouldn't_ \- do anything about it. And maybe he was upset that he was one of those people. He cracked his neck when Michael began to unbutton Jimin's shirt.

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** Jimin's POV **

Jimin glowered and looked straight ahead. He consciously had to restrain himself from pushing the director away. His muscles shook with the effort.

"We're probably gonna have to oil you up too," the director was saying, his voice disgustingly heavy again. "To make you shine on camera."

Jimin couldn't take it anymore. 'No,' he thought. 'I'm not letting this man rub oil onto my chest.' He was just about to shove the man away and lose all care for his image when someone stepped in.

"I should do that. I'm his assistant after all."

Jungkook.

Relief washed over Jimin in waves. He cast thankful eyes upon the man, not bothering to hide his expression.

Jimin watched the director slowly and reluctantly relinquish his self-made task, casting a sharp glance at Jungkook. "Make it quick," he said.

Jimin smiled once the man had retreated back to his director's chair, whispering instructions to one of the crew. "Thank you," he said to Jungkook, knowing he didn't need to express what he was thanking him for. They both understood. And Jimin was grateful when Jungkook only nodded and didn't comment on the issue further.

The tension left his body as Jungkook finished what the director had started, unbuttoning his shirt until every button was unclasped. "Nice abs," Jungkook said once they were in full view. Recognizing that Jungkook was throwing his own comment back at him, Jimin chuckled. Jungkook's eyes flitted to his face for a second and he responded with a smile of his own before he asked for the oil he must have heard Michael mention.

Almost as quickly as he asked for it, a crew member came forward and put a bottle in Jungkook's hand.

Once he had it, Jungkook looked as if he didn't know what to do with it. He stilled for a moment, that amusing expression on his face once again. Jimin hid a laugh behind his fist. ' _Why is he so cute?'_ Yes, he wondered it for the thousandth and second time. But he couldn't help it. The confident man who had stepped in to help him in his time of need had so quickly and easily flipped back to being a boyish figure who seemed to have the sensibilities of a deer on the lookout for predators.

"Here," Jungkook said, trying to hand the bottle over to Jimin.

Jimin lifted his eyebrow. 'I'm not letting you off that easy,' he thought. "No," he said, refusing to take the oil. "You do it. You're my assistant, remember?"

"Hurry up! We don't have all day!" Michael shouted.

At the shout, Jungkook uncapped the bottle and poured oil into his hand. Jimin watched as the tips of the younger man's ears grew red. He had the sudden urge to want to reach out and touch them, but he held himself back. He waited while Jungkook rubbed his hands together to gather the sheen on both of his palms, and he realized he was anticipating Jungkook's skin to touch his own. Just so he could watch the younger man squirm, of course.

His lips curved upward when Jungkook reached out and hesitated to touch him, his hand hovering just a couple of inches from his abs. He held his breath and was completely still, not wanting to spook the deer. And eventually, Jungkook began to move again. He placed his hand on Jimin's stomach, gently at first. Jimin's abs automatically clenched at the feeling of the cool oil against his skin and the hesitant touch. He continued to hold his breath until he felt Jungkook's hands begin to roam more confidently and press against his skin more assuredly.

His eyes focused on Jungkook's hands, large and strong, as they moved smoothly over his skin leaving a trail of sheen. The side of his hand brushed against the top of his belt as he slid his touch across the plane of his stomach. And then he began to move up his chest. Jimin's eyes followed the line of his arm, to his chin, to meet Jungkook's own gaze. He almost drew in a breath of surprise when he realized Jungkook was looking at his face. And once again, he got caught up in the eye contact. He couldn't pull his eyes away. He assumed the other man felt the same because though a flush crossed his face at having been caught staring, he didn't turn away as Jimin would have expected.

It felt as if they were playing some kind of game. Some challenge issued that neither was quite sure why they wanted to enter and win, but they did. And today's challenge was apparently a staring contest. Jimin's smile grew. He was good at those.

Jungkook, not so much.

His gaze fluttered downward to focus on his hands at the change in Jimin's expression. A small laugh left Jimin's lips. But the man before him didn't have to know that the laugh was more born of surprise than victory. Surprise that his heart was fluttering strangely and that small, mysterious somersault was happening again somewhere in the lower regions of his stomach.

Jungkook poured more oil onto his hands and applied more to Jimin's chest, brushing over the tops of the star's pectoral muscles. As his hand roamed over the area, Jimin impulsively made his chest jump, one and then the other. Jungkook pulled his hand back as if scolded and then the reaction Jimin wanted came. He laughed. That cute, boyish laugh that caused his eyes to grow narrow and his nose to scrunch. He glanced at Jimin's face before going back to his task, his hands now moving quickly and deftly over Jimin's skin. Before long, he was finished with the process and stepping away.

Realizing he missed the touch when it was gone, Jimin's mind traveled to the man who had called him earlier. His boyfriend, a model by the name of Ryu Won. He realized he missed the intimacy of his touch much more than he had previously thought, the days in which they hadn't seen each other all melding into one busy rush of distraction. He decided that he would clear time in his schedule for this week rather than next week so that he could see him.

As two hardworking adults in the entertainment industry, it was always hard to cut out a free piece of time that worked for both parties but... 'I'll just have to make it work,' Jimin thought with determination.

It had taken him years of struggling with his sexuality, self-doubt, worries, and three failed relationships to even find Ryu Won - a man who doted on him and made him happy whenever they met. This relationship, his first serious one, meant a lot to him so yes...He would find the time.

None of his fans knew that he was in a relationship, of course. Neither did his stylists, his CEO, nor many of his friends. Only a select few that included his manager and his two closest friends - Kim Taehyung and Jung Hoseok; a fellow model that was signed to the same company as his boyfriend and was a personal elementary school friend to Jimin and a dance instructor at BigHit Entertainment - knew about Jimin's sexuality and his relationship. And his family knew, of course. He had told them - terrified of their reaction - when he realized he couldn't hide it anymore. It had taken some getting used to on their end, but they had assured him they loved him no matter what. Now they supported him in whatever way they could. Especially his younger brother. His younger brother was protective over him to the point where sometimes he forgot he was the hyung. His lips twitched upward when he realized there was a certain someone here that reminded him of his brother back home.

His eyes found Jungkook, who gave him an emphatic thumbs up to cheer him on. He held back a laugh. ' _So cute.'_  One thousand and three.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was dark outside by the time Jimin, Jungkook, and Jimin's entourage left the building to head to their respective homes. Jimin's manager bid him farewell for the night. He usually acted as Jimin's driver, but they had employed that position to someone else for the last month because his manager - Ho Shik - had a newborn at home. "Give your baby a kiss for me," Jimin said with a smile. "Your wife too."

"Aish!" His manager playfully raised his hand as if to backhand him. Jimin laughed. "This punk."

He walked away saying something about seeing him tomorrow and as people disbursed, Jimin glanced around for Jungkook - something he had found himself doing from the moment they had stepped off of the van together. The kid was quiet, so he always had to make sure he hadn't lost him. He grabbed his wrist and gently pulled him closer when he saw him standing nearby. "When are you traveling to Busan tomorrow?"

"Eleven," Jungkook answered.

"Good," Jimin said, noting that the night was still young. "So you won't mind going to get a drink with me? My treat." He was happy that work was done for the day and he wanted to celebrate with a couple of drinks. He was also still a little on edge after having to deal with Michael so liquor would definitely help edge some of that off.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

** Jungkook's POV **

Jungkook settled into the van again with a small smile on his face. He was never the type to reach out and make friends, so he always appreciated when someone else took the initiative in the act of getting closer. It took a lot of the burden off of his shoulders. Because he enjoyed connecting with people; he just sometimes lacked the social skills to get the ball rolling. So he was grateful that Jimin had asked him out for a round. He was happy to spend more time with him. It seemed the longer he was with him, the more he wanted to know.

The other man was currently looking down at his phone as the van started, a small smile creeping onto his face. Jungkook assumed the message that had caused him to smile so softly was from the woman that had called him earlier. He smiled at that and settled back into his seat, not worried about initiating any kind of conversation. He took out his own phone instead to scroll through social media, giving Jimin privacy. It was comforting to him to know that Jimin had a girlfriend. The man was in the successful years of his career and there was no rumor, no scandal, no mention of any kind of the celebrity possibly being in a relationship. If someone of Jimin's status could do it - Jungkook's mind wandered to Seon Woo - he could too.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They sat in the booth of a BBQ restaurant in a back area, out of view of any regular patrons that might wander through looking for a late-night meal. Apparently, Jimin was a regular here and knew the owners. The place was somewhere in the middle between upscale and everyday man. It was intriguing.

Jimin and Jungkook sat together on a thick, wooden bench attached to the wall. They were partioned in on two sides by tall seating booths and a table sat in front of them loaded with meat and alcohol. Jimin was well into his second bottle of soju and Jungkook was halfway through his first. He never drank much as he always liked to be in control of his senses, so he always took it slowly.

He cut the strips of meat in front of him into slivers and turned them over on the grill that sat in front of them. He could feel Jimin leaning into him. There was no space between their bodies. He wasn't sure when it had gotten to that point because they had started out with at least five inches between them. But somewhere between the alcohol, the meat warming their stomachs, and casual chatter, they had found themselves physically closer. Jungkook found he didn't mind it so much. He had spent the entire day with Park Jimin so far, and he was growing comfortable with him and his need for almost constant physical contact at an alarming rate.

"Feed me that piece," Jimin said in a soft, cute tone that made Jungkook wonder who the hyung was in this situation. He chuckled and caught the piece of meat Jimin pointed at between his chopsticks. He then placed it on a large seasame leaf followed by a stack of rice, a piece of kimchi and another piece of meat before wrapping it and proffering it to Jimin who opened his mouth readily. Jungkook pushed the wrap gently into his mouth and watched the man's full lips close over it. He had never particularly thought watching another person eat was attractive until now.

A notification sounded on Jungkook's phone, which was placed beside him on the table, and it lit up. The lock screen photo was one of Seon Woo staring out at him with her index finger placed cutely next to her pursed lips.

"Who is that?" Jimin asked, nodding towards his phone.

' _Shit_.' Jungkook grabbed it and turned the screen off. "Uhh..." He thought about lying for a moment, but he decided against it. Not only was Jimin a labelmate, but he was also quickly growing to become a friend and he had a trustworthy vibe. Besides...Jimin himself was in a relationship, right? "My- my girlfriend," Jungkook answered.

"...She's cute," Jimin said after a slight pause. Jungkook nodded. "You might wanna change your lock screen when you start to get fame though."

Jungkook nodded again. "Yeah, I've been meaning to," he said. "I'll do it now." He unlocked his phone but before he could go to his pictures, Jimin gently took it from his hand.

"Here," the other man said. He leaned in closer against Jungkook's side and put their cheeks together before snapping a quick selfie. "You should use that one," Jimin said, handing the phone back.

Jungkook looked at the photo. Jimin wore a soft smile and his expression looked slightly startled as he looked into the camera. "Eh? Why do I look like this?" he asked.

"Why?" Jimin asked with a soft smile, leaning over to take a second look at the photo. "That's what you look like all the time. It's cute."

Jungkook ignored how pleased he was with that compliment and simply changed his lock screen photo from the one of Seon Woo to the one Jimin had just taken. "She's gonna freak when she sees this picture," he said.

"Why?" Jimin asked.

"She's a big fan of yours," Jungkook answered, putting a piece of meat in his mouth. His cheek poked out, full of food, as a result of the action. When he turned to see Jimin smiling at him, he had no idea why. He assumed it was because of what he just said.

"Really?" Jimin asked. He pushed his hand through his hair.

' _Eighteen_ ,' Jungkook thought.

"Send her the picture," Jimin prompted. "I want to see her reaction."

Jungkook smirked, not hesitating to send the picture off through text message. He knew the response would be amusing. And not two seconds after he sent the photo, he received a text message reply reading: " _AIFEANFK IAF HF;AIJRE;FHRHA!!!!!!!!!!!_ " And then his phone began to ring. Both Jungkook and Jimin held back laughs as he answered the phone, putting it on speaker. "Hello?"

"OPPA! OPPA! OPPA!" Jungkook lowered the volume on his phone as Seon Woo's shrill screams filled up the restaurant. Jimin held his hand tight over his lips to stifle laughs and fell over onto his side. "WHAT IS THAT PICTURE?" Seon Woo continued. "WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU WITH HIM? JIMIN OPPA, I LOVE YOU!"

She continued on for a few more minutes, professing her love to Jimin before Jungkook was able to interject. "Seon Woo," he said. "Calm down. He's beside me right now."

A shrill shriek came over the phone. Jimin threw himself to the side again, wracked with laughter. "Is she okay?" he asked Jungkook through his laughs. Jungkook shrugged. For all he knew, she could have just been murdered from the sounds of it. 

"OPPA! I LOVE YOU! JIMIN OPPA! I LOVE YOU!" Seon Woo continued from where she had left off.

"What about me?!" Jungkook asked petulantly. "What about me?!"

"OPPA, BE QUIET!!!"

Jimin fell against Jungkook's shoulder, slapping him lightly, highly entertained as the couple started to bicker. Eventually, Seon Woo finally convinced Jungkook to pass the phone over to Jimin. Jimin held the phone lightly in his hand and tried to keep the mirth out of his voice. "Seon Woo-yah~" he said, laying on the charm. Jungkook watched with a smile on his face as Seon Woo's high-pitched squeal came over the speaker. "How are you?"

"Ahhh~" Seon Woo whined cutely. "Oppa~" She was no longer shouting. Her tone was a honeyed, soft and gentle whine. Jungkook scoffed, unable to believe she was trying to pretend to be demure when Jimin had just watched the way she had verbally abused him to get him to pass over the phone.

Letting it slide, he focused once again on the food in front of him while they talked. He meant to give them their time to talk, but he realized he couldn't give Seon Woo those privileges when the conversation took a turn a few moments later.

"What's something embarrassing Jungkook has done?" Jimin had asked with amusement in his voice.

"Oppa," Seon Woo started, her tone exasperated at the memory. "During our first kiss, Jungkook was so bad that he bit my lip to the point of bleeding-"

Jungkook's eyes widened and he choked as he inhaled the food in his mouth too quickly. Coughing, he hurriedly snatched the phone back from a doubled-over laughing Jimin. "Yah! Seon Woo!" he yelled around the food in his mouth. "I'm hanging up!"

"Oppa! Jongkook oppa! Don't! Don-!" Jungkook hung up, embarrassed, and then he turned off his phone because he was sure Seon Woo would try to call again.

He tried to ignore Jimin who was still doubling over with laughter. "How could you..." he said between peals of mirth. "Be so bad...That you bit her..."

"It was my first kiss," Jungkook mumbled, his face burning with shame. "I was nervous." He still remembered that day vividly. Seon Woo had needed to get two stitches in her lip because of him. He still had flashbacks about that day. It was the embarrassing moment that would just sponatenously come back to him on certain days and make him cringe. It was that bad. He stuffed his face with rice and refused to look at Jimin, who - still laughing - reached over to pinch his cheek.

"You're cute," Jimin said aloud for the second time that night. This time, Jungkook didn't get a sense of pleasure from it. He was still wanting to curl up and smother himself under the overwhelming sense of embarrassment.

Jimin's laughter finally died down and he poured himself another drink. "It's brave to have a girlfriend during your trainee period," Jimin said. "Are you planning to break up with her when you debut?"

Jungkook shook his head and leaned back, full from the meal. "No," he said. "We're not gonna break up."

A smile spread across Jimin's face as he looked over his shoulder at Jungkook. "Whoaaa~" he said. "That confidence. What makes you so sure? It's harder than you think, you know. Our company doesn't have a dating ban like some others, but fans don't like an idol who's taken. It can affect your success and then it becomes about choosing your career or love. And that sucks." He threw back the drink he had poured for himself.

"Well, it can't be that hard," Jungkook said. "Maybe you could give me some pointers."

"About what?" Jimin asked tearing off a piece of dried squid between his teeth and chewing it.

"Dating. You're in a relationship, aren't you?"

Jimin froze. For a moment, Jungkook wondered if he had overstepped his bounds. And he was sure that Jimin struggled with the same dilemma he had struggled with just a few moments before about whether to lie or not but then he just turned to Jungkook with an impressed look. "How did you know?" he asked. "I haven't told anybody."

"Just a feeling," Jungkook said with a casual shrug. "The way you were talking on the phone when we were in the van made me think you were talking to someone special."

"Oh..." Jimin said, a slight blush staining his cheeks. Jungkook didn't know whether it was due to the alcohol or the fact that his secret had been revealed when he didn't want it to be.

"I didn't mean to pry or anything," Jungkook said quickly.

"No, no, it's fine," Jimin said with a wave of his hand. "If the news reaches the tabloids tomorrow, I'll know who to blame," he said playfully.

Jungkook waved his hands in front of himself. "I would never say anything," he said earnestly.

"I believe you," Jimin replied, the response coming naturally. He paused for a moment before speaking again. "But I don't think you should be asking me for pointers. You figured out I was dating by spending a couple of hours with me. What do I know?"

Jungkook laughed, realizing Jimin had a point.

"How can I help you when I can't help myself?" Jimin continued, laughing along with Jungkook.

They laughed until they became tired - Jungkook leaning against the padded backseat of the wooden bench and Jimin leaning on Jungkook's shoulder while he played with the hem of Jungkook's oversized hoodie. It felt oddly natural. "I'm full," Jimin said, his voice soft and low. But Jungkook had no trouble hearing it because he was so near his ear. "I don't wanna move."

"Neither do I," Jungkook agreed, feeling lazy and warm. "What time is it?"

Jimin pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. "11:00."

"We should start heading home."

"Yeah."

Neither moved.

"Hey..." Jimin's fiddling fingers came across a square-shaped object in the pocket of Jungkook's hoodie. "What's this?"

"Hmm? Oh." Jungkook reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pocket-sized bible. "I forgot that was in there."

"Are you religious?" Jimin asked, taking the small bible in his hands and flipping through it. There were underlinings and markings on various pages throughout.

"Mmm...So-so," Jungkook responded. "I'm a Christian, but I don't exactly go to church every Sunday or anything. Don't tell my mom that." He laughed. "She's the one that gave me the bible."

"Ahh..." Jimin said.

"What about you?" Jungkook asked. "Are you religious?"

Jimin handed the bible back. "Not really," he said. "I don't think about it much."

Jungkook nodded. "I used to be very devout," he said. "Bible study every Wednesday, church every Sunday, praying every night. But then I guess I got too busy. The only thing that could take priority over bible study for my mom was me getting an education. She wanted me to be a doctor."

Jimin raised his eyebrows in interest. "And how did your parents react to you deciding you wanted to be a singer instead?"

"Not good," Jungkook said, chuckling. "But they're trying to understand. They're not giving me the silent treatment anymore at least. For a second there, I thought I was going to be stricken from the family registry."

Jimin smiled sympathetically. He remembered having some of the same fears when he thought about coming out. "Yeah," he said. "They'll come around." He thought of his own family's support and hoped for the same for Jungkook. "Do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah, an older brother."

"Oh!" Jimin turned to him in surprise. "I have a younger brother. Same age as you. How old is your brother?"

"Twenty-one," Jungkook responded.

"Same as me!" Jimin said, his smile taking up his whole face. "Yah! You were fated to be my dongsaeng. Also..." he slipped into his hometown dialect. "We're Busan brothers."

Jungkook smiled. "Right!" he said. "I forgot you were from Busan!"

"Let's make a pact," Jimin said, holding out his hand.

Jungkook laughed. "What? What kind of pact?"

"That I'll be your favorite hyung forever, and you'll be my favorite dongsaeng."

Jungkook laughed, his nose crinkling. The more he got to know Jimin, the more he found him to be cute. Thinking back to when they met in the hallway those couple of months ago, Jungkook was starting to wonder why he had ever been intimidated. "Hyung," Jungkook acquiesced, giving Jimin his hand.

"Dongsaeng~" Jimin sing-songed, taking Jungkook's hand and curling his four fingers around Jungkook's before pressing their thumbs together. "Press," Jimin instructed as he maneuvered their hands. "Now kiss. You kiss your thumb and I'll kiss mine."  Jungkook blushed but followed along as they held their pressed together thumbs up between them and kissed their fingers.

He was happy. Since moving to Seoul, he hadn't made many friends apart from some of his fellow trainees. And they weren't exactly call-you-out-to-meet-up friends; they were more like we're-in-the-same-room-so-we'll-carry-on-a-friendly-conversation friends. With Jimin, he felt as if he had made a real and lasting connection.

"Ah."

Jungkook opened his mouth wide to receive the wrap Jimin had made for him. As he chewed, he was comforted by the feeling of Jimin casually stroking his hair as if to say he was doing a good job. Maybe missing home would be a little more endurable.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, when he got home, Jungkook settled onto his stomach with his iPad and visited YouTube. ' _Park Jimin,'_ he typed. ' _Live stages.'_

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

** Jimin's POV **

Jimin settled into the seat of the van after dropping Jungkook off and pulled out his cell phone. He checked a message from Ryu Won and then began to surf the internet. Before he knew it, he was looking up whatever available information he could find online about one particular BigHit trainee, Jeon Jungkook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Park Jimin and Jeon Jungkook are both already in relationships where they seem to be happy. I wonder how this is gonna play out.
> 
> Also, please comment. It helps to motivate me. :D


	5. He Had Park Jimin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while. If I still have readers interested, just know I don't keep you waiting for the fun of it. I write on commission because, as someone who spends a great majority of my time writing fanfic, I realized long ago that I can't live off of the joy I get from writing these un-publish-able stories alone. A girl's gotta eat. So I always wait for payment before I post a new chapter.
> 
> Btw...my price is $10 per chapter or one-shot. OR $1 per page.
> 
> All of my chapters are 5,000+ words and/or 10 pages long.
> 
> You can commission me by messaging me on my Tumblr. (I also currently am writing a fic for someone that I am only posting to my Tumblr blog for now, and it won't be on ao3 until later. So if you want to read everything I write and/or commission me to either write another chapter of one of my ongoing fics or commission me to write a new fic entirely, follow me on Tumblr.
> 
> Tumblr Link: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/
> 
> And message me there for more details. I just now started a Tumblr and all fic commissions have been for me to write Jikook so far, but I am willing to write any pairing - (even though Jikook IS my favorite).

Chapter Five: He Had Park Jimin

 

** Jungkook's POV **

Life is strange.

When Jungkook was a child, he would go to the beach and watch the sea. The ebb and flow of the tide and how quickly it would change. Pulling in and out gently one hour then, with the coming of storm clouds, rushing, churning, and a wild burst of angry crashes as the sea pushed onto the beach. No longer gentle and calm but demanding and taking. It was scary and fascinating at the same time. Jungkook couldn't help but to think about the ocean as his days and months at BigHit progressed.

Life was moving quickly.

He was caught on waves that were crashing and demanding, but right now, he was riding them. Surfing smoothly atop them as if he was born to be there. He didn't pay attention to the small nagging feeling in his gut that was afraid of falling beneath the waves, destroyed by the very tides that had - to this point - carried him so far.

He was on a steady upswing.

Instructors at BigHit would use him as a teaching assistant. Or as someone to show the others a demonstration of how they wanted things to be done. He continued to execute dances perfectly, usually the first one learning them. It was as if the expectations that others had soon grown for him was feeding his drive, demanding that he live up to them. And he didn't disappoint. Because he couldn't.

He felt the chasm widening between himself and the other trainees. Both at a growth level and on a personal one. No one talked to him. They were either intimidated by him, jealous, or thought he was stuck-up. Or a kiss-ass. One or the other. He didn't really have time to pay attention to what they were saying. He was too busy moving forward. He couldn't let the words catch up to him. Or the loneliness. He couldn't take his eyes off of the coming waves.

The chasm only continued to grow when he booked his first professional modeling gig with no help from the company. The CEO was surprised when he got a call asking for Jungkook to be the model for a famous clothing brand. Only four months in - a trainee at that - and he was getting offers? When news spread, Jungkook couldn't help but to hear the whispers this time. People expressed curiosity about who his parents were, whether he was a rich heir who bought his way into the company. He even heard some claiming he had slept with a wealthy wife to get sponsored. He hated it. He hated the whispers and the stares. Stares filled with anger and resentment. It had gotten to the point where he avoided looking into other people's eyes.

It was okay, though. He didn't need any of them. He had Park Jimin.

Jungkook was glad that they had exchanged phone numbers. The training, the being away from home, the loneliness...it was stressful. He was grateful to have someone to talk to.

They had been sharing messages back and forth everyday since they each had been added to the other's contact list. Jungkook had been pleasantly surprised when he had woken up the day after their meal with a message from Jimin telling him to be safe on his travels to his hometown. Jungkook had replied with two images. One of his train ticket with the departure time - 11 p.m. - printed on it and one with him holding his alarm clock up next to his bedhead...an alarm clock that read 12 p.m. ' _I missed my train,'_ he had texted back. A row of laughing emojis was the response from the older man before Jungkook had been encouraged to get up and get ready to catch the next train.

The text conversation started there and just never seemed to end. When he got to Busan, he let Jimin know he arrived safely. Then Jimin wanted pictures of the Busan sea. And when he got back and sank back into the grind of practice and trainee life, Jungkook started to send Jimin short video clips of himself dancing so that he could get pointers. After his YouTube history became full of Park Jimin videos, Jungkook quickly realized that the man was a great dancer. Better than him. Different. More fluid, yet hitting every beat. Jungkook was now a fan. He wondered how he had never paid much attention before. Because, he had to admit, there was definitely something about Park Jimin that drew a person in.

Jimin couldn't always reply to his texts immediately and Jungkook understood that. The older man was busy in preparations for his upcoming comeback album, after all. And with promotions for his two successful, recently released, singles. But the star always got back to him eventually, and that somehow made Jungkook feel more special than any of the praise and accolades he continued to get as a popular trainee on the rise.

Jungkook wrote a message under the dance video he was planning to send the man today. ' _My manager told me I'm going to have an evaluation this Friday. I'm nervous. Do you think this dance cover is good enough to show?_ ' He hit send and then picked up his bag from the corner of the room and headed to the bus station so that he could head back to the small studio apartment the company provided for him and his manager while he stayed in Seoul. His manager usually simply stopped by to check on him from time to time instead of staying there because he was busy managing other trainees as well and because he had family who he stayed with in Seoul and he would much rather spend time with them rather than a stranger who barely spoke two words to him other than to nod and say "Cool" every time he was told his plans for the day. The manager never said that of course, but Jungkook was aware of the fact that he wasn't the most entertaining person to hang around.

Life as a trainee was strange and nothing like Jungkook imagined it would be. Of course he knew it would be hard but he hadn't known it would be this...tedious. He was told nothing. He knew he was impressing people - he had been told that from many of the instructors and through the envious whispers of others - but he didn't know what that meant. Apparently trainees were only on a need-to-know basis and the higher-ups felt as if there wasn't much that they needed to know...just their dance lesson and voice lesson schedules. Jungkook didn't know whether he was going to debut, when he was going to debut, or if he was being looked at to debut as a solo or within a group. There were whispers of a five-member boy group being formed but Jungkook had heard nothing about whether he was a candidate for that particular group or not.

Jungkook entered his small one-room apartment after a 20-minute bus ride and immediately collapsed down onto the bedding he had set up against the wall. A small mini-fridge rested against the opposite wall and a hot plate and sink jutting out from the wall completed the rest of the "kitchen". A small room off to the side comprised of a toilet and sink with a mirror above it acted as the bathroom. A small bucket had to work as Jungkook's shower. He boiled water on his hot plate every night and then filled the bucket, letting it cool to a warm temperature, before using it to bathe. A drain built into the floor of the bathroom allowed him to douse himself completely with the water in the bucket after he finished wiping himself down. It was a slightly tedious process, but Jungkook couldn't complain. At least he had somewhere to stay. The company didn't have enough money to give every trainee a nice place to stay when their home was too far away. Most trainees had family to stay with - like the manager - but Jungkook didn't have that privilege. All of his immediate family were countryside folk, and they preferred to stay that way.

Jungkook looked around the room, trying to decide how he would spend a couple of hours before he decided to go to sleep. A small bookshelf neatly packed with books and manga sat at the end of his bed and his laptop lay closed on his pillow. Read? Or watch more videos of Park Jimin?

Jungkook reached toward his laptop and opened it, making his decision. A smile broke across his face when he saw a suggested clip of Park Jimin on one of his favorite variety shows. He had already watched this clip before in the past couple of weeks, but he clicked on it to watch it again. It was hilarious. It featured the MCs of the program forcing Jimin to rap, and he was hilariously bad at it. As he watched, Jungkook began to fantasize about one day being on a variety show with Jimin. It seemed like it would be fun.

A text message notification sounded from his phone and Jungkook hurriedly grabbed it, wondering if it was a reply from Jimin. But it wasn't. It was his girlfriend. He smiled when he opened it and saw an image of her wearing the signed tie he had gifted her for her birthday. Underneath the image it read, ' _I'm never taking this off.'_

She had received her gift a week ago and had showed her gratitude by professing her love to Jeon Jungkook very loudly in the middle of a restaurant while a lot of confused bystanders trying to enjoy a peaceful lunch looked on and the friends she had been eating with had laughed in amusement at her or ducked their heads in embarrassment and shame (two emotions a person got very acquainted with when they involved themselves with Seon Woo). Jungkook had been witness to the incident through the attachment of the video his friend, Min Yoongi - a manager at the restaurant, had sent him along with the message of, ' _Come collect your girlfriend.'_

Jungkook paused the video he was watching and dialed his girlfriend, deciding the next couple of hours would be better spent talking to her. She thanked him again for the gift, telling him she slept with it every night, and then she asked him when he would be coming to Busan again. He hadn't gotten the chance to see her for more than an hour the last time he had gone down to visit because his parents and brother had whisked him away to spend time with his aunt and cousin at the beach. So he owed her time.

"I'll try to find time this weekend," Jungkook said.

"Good," Seon Woo giggled. Her voice lowered seductively. "Because I want to thank you properly for the gift."

Jungkook blushed, knowing what she was insinuating. He felt a twinge of arousal in his lower stomach. It had been months since he had come to Seoul to be a trainee, so it had been months since he had been able to be intimate with his girlfriend. That realization hadn't really hit him as hard as it did now. He licked his lips. "Okay," he said. "Then...I'll  _definitely_ find time this weekend."

Seon Woo laughed. "I can't wait."

Jungkook was very happy in his relationship with Seon Woo. He was comfortable in it. They had a dynamic that worked. Seon Woo was confident, boisterous, and straightforward. She initiated everything. From their first date to their first kiss to their first time. And Jungkook loved that about her. It took stress away from him. He didn't have to wonder when it came to Seon Woo. She was very direct and took the lead in many situations. And she didn't mind when he just sat quietly whenever they conversed because she loved to talk, so his lack of words didn't bother her.

And that was evident now as Jungkook listened to her prattle on over the phone, jumping from one subject to another. The things she told him made him nostalgic for Busan. His family, his friends, and acquaintances. He laid down on his bed and listened to her talk for a while more before he received another notification from his phone. He held the phone away from his ear for a moment and saw a text flash at the top of his screen before disappearing - but not before he saw that the message was from Jimin.

Excited, he smiled and put the phone back to his ear. "Seon Woo-ah," he interrupted.

"Yeah?" she asked back.

"I just got a message from a friend. Is it okay if I call you back?"

Seon Woo sighed. "Sure," she relented. "But make sure you let me know when you're coming to visit."

"I will."

"Okay. Bye, cutie."

"Bye."

Jungkook hung up and checked the message he received. It read:  _'It looks good but sharpen the kick before the turn, make the muscle contractions harder - your body should almost vibrate as you pop. Work on your expression; it looks like you're trying to remember choreography at some parts instead of just enjoying the performance. And have you thought about showing off those abs you have when you get to the body roll? The instructors would love it. Haha. Just kidding. But not really. But only do what you're comfortable with.'_

Jungkook smiled at the long text full of helpful critiques. He hurriedly texted back.  _'Thanks, Hyung. I hope I'm not bothering you.'_

A reply came soon after. ' _My favorite dongsaeng could never bother me._ '

A smile blossomed across Jungkook's face. And another text from Park Jimin soon followed the one he had just sent. It read: ' _I have the day off tomorrow. I can come see you at the studio if you want and help you with your dance._ '

Jungkook's smile grew wider. They hadn't had a chance to physically hang out again since that first time that they had done so. Jungkook had been looking forward to when it would occur again. ' _I would like that, Hyung,_ ' he quickly typed out. ' _Thank you._ ' He hit send.

** Jimin's POV **

"Who are you talking to, Jiminie? Ryu Won-hyung?"

Jimin put his phone away, the ghost of a smile still on his lips as he finished his conversation with Jungkook. "No," he said. "Just a cute trainee that recently got signed to BigHit."

"Cute trainee?" Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "I thought you and Ryu Won were exclusive."

Jimin rolled his eyes amicably at his best friend, Kim Taehyung. They were currently sitting in the VIP section of a club - a section sequestered off by glass walls and by being on the upper level overlooking the dance floor. Bright lights flashed wildly throughout the club, matching the hectic beat of the dance music blaring through the speakers. Music that was somewhat muted in the VIP area. Jimin and Taehyung's table was filled with snacks and empty glasses of already-downed drinks. They had come with other friends and a couple of members of their staff but somehow they had wound up being the only two left in the VIP area as the rest had wandered off to either dance or hook up. Or it may have had something to do with Taehyung shushing everyone and screaming for everyone to "get the fuck out!" when he was trying to talk on the phone to his niece but that had happened almost an hour ago and Jimin had forgotten.

"It's not like that," Jimin said to Taehyung. "He's my dongsaeng. I'm going to be helping him with his dancing tomorrow since both my boyfriend and my best friend are  _abandoning_ me on the one day I have off this week."

Taehyung pouted, his face framed becomingly with large-rimmed, fashionable glasses. The rest of him was adorned in Gucci from head to toe. A large, thin jacket hung from his shoulders to his ankles, and a t-shirt peeked from underneath tucked into black pants that fell to right above his ankles...hovering above a pair of black shoes that Jimin was sure cost more than most people's entire wardrobe. Not that Jimin could blame him. He was a fan of fashion himself. Maybe that's why he was attracted to models.

"We can't help that we have to travel to Italy to work. We weren't expecting it either," Taehyung responded to Jimin's accusation.

Jimin responded to  _that_ with a pout of his own. He was going to miss his boyfriend. As he had promised himself those few weeks ago, he had made time for Ryu Won whenever he could and he was glad he did. He didn't know whether it was because they couldn't see each other that often or because they were both so stressed from work lately but whatever it was...whenever they _could_ meet up, the sex had been  _great._

As if he could deduce where Jimin's thoughts had wandered off to, Taehyung asked, "So things have been good between you and Ryu Won?"

"More than good," Jimin said, remembering the passionate hands and feverish kisses the last time they had met up. A smile holding back barely-concealed secrets covered his face at the thoughts.

Taehyung chuckled. "Okay," he said. "I'm not going to ask about why you're smiling like that. I'm sure I don't want to know." His eyes drifted out to the dance floor as Jimin leaned forward to take another sip of alcohol. But Jimin took the glass from his lips in curiosity when Taehyung let out a low whistle.

"What?" Jimin asked with a raised eyebrow.

Instead of answering Jimin, Taehyung lifted a hand towards someone on the floor below and soon after, a server came up to the VIP lounge - beckoned by Taehyung. The server was dressed in the black vest and slacks and long-sleeved white shirt separating the employees of the establishment from everyone else. "See that girl?" Taehyung asked the server once he had bowed in greeting and asked how he could help. The server turned to see where Taehyung was pointing. Jimin stood up and craned his neck as well, curious as to who had caught his friend's attention. It was no use though. He couldn't single out anyone from the mass of bodies surging below. The server seemed to have better luck though because he nodded.

"Yes, sir," the server replied as Jimin sat back down.

"Put her drinks on my tab. And all of her friends' too. Then bring her up here."

When the server left, ready to act out his instructions, Jimin turned to his friend with a smile. "See someone you like?"

"That's an understatement," Taehyung replied back with a smile.

It was only about ten minutes before the server arrived again with a girl in tow. Jimin's eyebrows hitched in slight surprise when he saw who had captured Taehyung's interest. It was an African American with shiny, tight, black curls that reached her shoulders. She wore a sleeveless halter top and long, leather pants that showed off her slim waist and legs while also accentuating her curves. Of which she had plenty of in the chest area, making her waist appear that much more slim. The swell of her hips wasn't too bad either. Wide eyes and full lips completed the picture of a very pretty girl and her dark skin looked smooth and healthy under the effervescent lights. After studying her, Jimin could see why she had caught Taehyung's eye. He was still surprised though. Taehyung had never been interested in foreigners before as far as he knew.

The girl looked between Jimin and Taehyung with a hesitant but happy smile on her lips. "Are you the one who bought me the drinks?" she asked Taehyung. In English.

Jimin's eyebrows rose in amusement and he smiled as he sat back in his seat before turning to look at his friend, eager to watch this take place. This was always why trying to pick up a foreigner was either hit or miss. First, you had to see if there was a language barrier. Then if there wasn't a language barrier, you had to discern how long they were in Korea for...whether they were just visiting for a couple of weeks, months, or whether they lived there. Then once you determined why they were in Korea, you had to deal with all the cultural differences. One of Jimin's first flings once he had started to accept that he was gay had been a British man he met in a club in Itaewon. Things had been...difficult. And then when they finally were able to get on the same page that yeah...they were both physically interested in each other, the sex had been...not great. So the whole experience had been more trouble than it was worth. And Jimin had sworn off pursuing foreigners ever since then. One bad experience was enough. But he was looking forward to watching his friend struggle through this conversation.

"Yeah," Taehyung said, understanding what she had said well enough since the question had been fairly simple. He knew some English from all of his travels. But he didn't know much. "Do you speak Korean?" he asked hopefully in careful English.

The woman shook her head and Jimin saw the hopeless expression dawn on Taehyung's face. Jimin held back a laugh, covering his smile with his hand.

The woman then went on to explain about how she was in Korea for a couple of months to visit in-laws, but she was speaking quickly and a lot of the English she spoke went over Jimin's head and he could see that it was the same for Taehyung. He cleared his throat and motioned to Taehyung that he was about to go to the bathroom. Because his amusement was turning into anxiety on behalf of his friend. He mouthed 'good luck' and then made his exit from the room.

Jimin ended up assuming that they had reached some sort of understanding because Taehyung texted him about fifteen minutes later asking him not to come back.

** Jungkook's POV: **

' _Have you reached the studio yet?_ ' Jungkook read the text from Jimin and smiled. He hadn't realized just how lonely he was until he felt the rush of excitement of meeting up with a friend.

' _Not yet. Almost there,_ ' Jungkook texted back as the bus he was on turned onto the street where BigHit's dance studio was located. He received a reply almost immediately.

' _Good. Use the front entrance. I'll meet you there._ '

Jungkook stepped off of the bus at the bus stop, which was a few feet away from the BigHit building. He then took his usual route around the building in order to go in through the slightly more concealed entrance at the front of the building because he had noticed the usual small gathering of excited fangirls who sometimes camped out in front of the building in hopes of getting a glimpse of Park Jimin. He assumed the more conspicuous entrance was the one Jimin had been referencing.

But as he walked up the path, he felt someone's arm slip around his shoulders and smoothly usher them past the smaller door and towards the main entrance.

“Let's see if we can make you trend.”

Jungkook immediately recognized Jimin's honeyed voice, but he didn't quite understand the man's statement until they were taking the path that led to the main entrance. In perfect view of the many fans standing outside with their smartphones poised to get as many pictures and videos as they could if someone happened to pass by.

Which Jimin and Jungkook were currently doing.

Screams rent the air and phones went up as Jimin strode down the path with Jungkook tucked comfortably beneath his arm. Well, as comfortably as he could be with his slight height advantage on Jimin.

Jimin was dressed fashionably. Black leather jacket over white t-shirt tucked into black jeans. Large sunglasses covered his eyes.

Jungkook was glad that he had put care into his appearance as well. He didn't have on brand names like his richer friend, but he wore a fitted t-shirt that showed off his muscles and a stylish pair of black sweat pants. His dark hair was pushed off of his forehead, making him look a little more mature.

He gaped in surprise at Jimin who was flashing a winning smile at the cameras while they continued to casually stroll towards the doors of the building.

Jungkook knew then what Jimin's statement had meant. The older man was putting him in the public eye if only for a moment. Giving him recognition. Allowing him to siphon some of the star's own popularity for himself.

Jungkook fought a blush that threatened to rise up on his face. A blush of embarrassment because of the sudden attention he hadn't been expecting and a blush of gratefulness. Once again, Jimin was doing something on his behalf. He wondered if it was standard courtesy for senior artists to be nice to their juniors like this.

Camera phones clicked and girls squealed until they made it inside the safety of the entertainment building. Jungkook expected Jimin to release him once they were inside and away from the cameras, but the other man continued his embrace. And Jungkook didn't pull away.

* * *

“One. Two. Three. Four.”

Jimin softly counted out the beats for Jungkook as he went through the steps of the dance routine he had been practicing without music. A soft smile pulled at the edges of Jimin's lips as he watched the younger man. Jungkook tried not to look at his face, though. Because whenever his glance caught that soft expression on the other's face, it made him feel strange. Shy and abashed. He couldn't be shy while performing.

The lights of the dance studio weren't turned all the way up so dim shadows played across the room, allowing the men to forget that it was actually well into morning outside and not the evening facade that played inside the room.

Jimin was seated on the floor of the dance studio – the sunglasses he had walked in with now off of his face and resting beside him where he had discarded them, leaning against the mirrored wall while Jungkook danced in the middle of the room.

“Okay,” Jimin said. His voice floated through the silence of the room, stopping the younger.

Jungkook clasped his hands in front of himself, waiting nervously for feedback. When silence stretched from seconds into minutes, Jungkook worried whether his routine was worse than he thought. He knew it wasn't perfect yet, but he had at least been somewhat confident that it didn't suck. Now, not so much.

“Okay,” Jimin said again, seeming to have come up with the words he wanted to say. He stood up. “The dance is good.”

'But,' Jungkook thought.

“But...”

Jungkook pulled his lips in and rubbed them together in worried anticipation.

“It's too sharp.”

Jungkook glanced at Jimin questioningly. He had been expecting any critique but that one. He knew his dancing was sharp; he had spent a lot of time making _sure_ it was sharp. Powerful. Each move hard and concise like the movements of a sword in the hand of a skilled swordsman.

“I think what would make your dance a little better is...sensuality,” Jimin continued.

“...Sensuality...” Jungkook repeated as if he didn't quite understand the word. And maybe he didn't. Because he didn't do sensual. He found it awkward. Cringy even.

“Yeah,” Jimin said, coming to stand beside Jungkook so that he was facing the mirror as well. “Right now, the feeling of your dance is kind of...intimidating. Which can be sexy in its own right, but I don't think that's what you need right now. You need to invite people in. Make the people watching you want you.”

Jungkook blushed.

Jimin must have noticed his expression in the mirror because a small smirk lifted his lips. “I know it sounds weird,” he reassured. “But watch this.”

Jimin began executing the ending sequence of Jungkook's routine. But...

Jungkook held his breath.

It didn't look like his routine at all. It looked completely different when outfitted on the other man's body. He moved as if in water – invisible currents guiding, pushing, pulling his muscled limbs. The sharpness Jungkook was so proud of was still there but only at certain points. Intervals. An exclamation point for a well-worded sentence.

Jungkook found his eyes traveling down the reflection of Jimin's body. A sudden wish caught him by surprise. The wish that he could see Jimin's skin – sinewy muscles rippling beneath the tan of the other man. He wanted to see the way his abs contracted underneath his shirt, the way his thigh muscles bulged when he crouched to the ground for a particular move.

He furrowed his brow and shook his head, releasing those thoughts. They were weird.

But he attributed it to his ever-continuous willingness to learn and better himself. He wanted to make his body move just like Jimin's. And in order to do that, he was wanting to see his body. To study it.

Yep. That's it. That's all it was.

When Jimin finished and stood up, his breathing was slightly heavier. He turned to Jungkook and Jungkook avoided his eyes. “Yeah?” Jimin asked. “What do you think?”

Jungkook nodded, words escaping him for a moment. “Yeah,” he finally said. “Yeah, I like it. How do I do that?”

Jimin chuckled and reached out to tickle underneath Jungkook's chin. “Let's take a break; then I'll tell you.”

* * *

**Jimin's POV**

Sitting Indian style on the floor of the practice room, Jimin checked social media on his phone while Jungkook ate a packed lunch beside him.

A smile bloomed across his face when he saw what he was expecting to see.

“Look,” he said, inching closer to Jungkook until they were shoulder to shoulder so that the younger man could peer at his phone screen comfortably. “You made trending.”

Jungkook looked at the screen with cheeks full of food and when he saw what Jimin was showing him, his eyes bulged.

The Twitter timeline was full of images of Jungkook and Jimin, some still images, some GIFs, and some videos.

All were accompanied by Twitter users' commentary.

“ _Park Jimin taking the new trainee under his wing_.”

“ _They're both so gorgeous! The trainee is a cutie! I can see why Jimin is taking care of him. That's the kind of face you fall in love with at first sight._ ”

“ _The trainee's name is Jeon Jungkook! Make sure you all address him as more than just 'the trainee' so BigHit can see how interested we are in him so that he can debut faster!”_

“ _Awww! They look like besties!_ ”

“ _The trainee is a cutie. I stan!”_

Jimin watched a blush spread across Jungkook's cheeks and he smiled. “You already have fans,” he said happily.

Jungkook ducked his head and muttered a quiet, “Thanks, hyung,” around the food still nestled in his cheeks. Jimin watched him swallow it down and avoid his eyes while sporting a small smile. It made Jimin want to spoil him more.

“Come here,” he said suddenly, draping his arm around Jungkook's neck. He held his phone up and took a quick selfie. He made sure the photo looked okay – he was wearing a smile and Jungkook was wearing that same old deer-in-the-headlights look Jimin found completely adorable – and then he posted it to Twitter with the caption “My dongsaeng” written underneath.

He then turned off his notifications and his screen so that the initial onslaught of likes and comments wouldn't disturb them from the rest of their practice.

“Do you have a Twitter?” Jimin asked.

Jungkook shook his head. “We aren't allowed.”

Jimin's mouth fell open. “Really?!” he asked. “Wow. Things have changed since I was a trainee.” He was silent for a moment and then a thought came to him. “Well...how would they know if you made an account though? You could use a different name.”

Jungkook tilted his head as if thinking and then a small smile lifted his lips. “You're a bad influence,” he said, peering at Jimin from the sides of his eyes.

Jimin smiled as if he was proud of that fact. “Just stick with me.” He patted Jungkook's shoulder. “I'll teach you how to get around all of the rules.”

Jungkook chuckled and began to gather up his empty lunch tray, done eating.

“So are you going to make one?” Jimin asked, taking the trash from Jungkook once he was done getting it together and taking it to the trash can in the corner. “I wouldn't be able to follow you because that would kind of give you away, but you could follow me. And you could check out what everybody's saying about you without them knowing it's you.”

“I don't know if I want to know what everyone's saying about me,” Jungkook replied.

“Fine,” Jimin said, coming back to kneel before Jungkook. “Then get a Twitter just to follow me then. I post selcas all the time.”

A soft smile came across Jungkook's face and Jimin decided it was his second favorite expression on the younger man. The smile made it seem as if he was holding an amusing secret to himself and he couldn't let himself share it fully because it was all his.

“I'll think about it,” Jungkook ended up saying before getting to his feet again.

Jimin followed him with a sigh. “Stop playing hard to get,” he whined. He was happy to hear Jungkook's laugh in response to his comment. And he quickly decided that _that_ was his favorite expression. When the younger man's amusement was no longer a secret and it was displayed to the world through a wide smile and crinkled eyes.

* * *

**Jungkook's POV:**

The dance lesson continued. And Jungkook soon realized that full sensuality was not something he was comfortable exploring yet.

“I'm going to use Taemin sunbae-nim's song as an example,” Jimin was saying as he stood in the middle of the room and Jungkook watched. “I want you to move as if you're being touched by your lover. Like your lover's hand is guiding you.”

Jungkook blushed.

“I don't know if you have experience, but you should be able to imagine it even if you haven't gone all the way yet,” Jimin continued.

Jungkook's blush increased. “I've gone all the way!” he blurted out. And then he wanted to sink into the floor in embarrassment.

He could tell Jimin had to fight to keep a laugh down. “Okay. This should be easy then,” Jimin said, his lips still twitching. “Start the music.”

Jungkook held up the cell phone Jimin had handed him earlier and started Taemin's song, _Move_ , on Spotify. Music immediately came from the speakers which had been paired to the phone through use of Bluetooth.

“Now just imagine a lover touching me,” Jimin said. “Every brush of my lover's hand puts a tingle on my skin and causes me to move.”

Taemin's sultry voice came out of the speakers and filled the room. And the change in Jimin was immediate. His playful gaze was soon shrouded by a look Jungkook could only label as desire. His eyes became hooded, his lips parted, and he slowly began to move. First his arm...

The way he slowly folded his arm out and then languidly extended his fingers made it easy for Jungkook to imagine a woman brushing her fingers down his arm, causing him to move.

Then his shoulders...

He rolled them back slowly. Again, as if guided by those invisible hands. Jungkook could imagine the same woman as before guiding his shoulders back with her hands as she leaned against him.

Jungkook marveled.

It was like he was watching a couple dance except there was only one dancer.

Then his hips. Pulled outward as if by invisible hands, and he let the rest of his body follow, giving his lover control.

Jungkook shifted on his feet as he felt a suspicious stirring in his lower region.

This was more than a dance. It was a seduction.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, Tumblr Link: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/
> 
> Commission me. Your girl is broke. But creative. I'll make you proud.


	6. Shift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, anon, for commissioning the next chapter of one of my favorite fanfics to write.
> 
> In this chapter, something shifts in the guys' relationship. Is it for the better?

**Jungkook's POV:**

When Jimin finished, he allowed his seductive aura to fall away and then faced Jungkook with that playful smile on his face once again. Jungkook found himself letting out a sigh of relief, releasing tension he wasn't aware that he had been holding until that moment.

“Do you want to try?” Jimin asked.

Jungkook nodded as he moved to the center and Jimin took his place against the mirrored wall to watch him.

“With my choreography or...?” Jungkook asked.

“Yes, with your choreography,” Jimin answered.

Once Jungkook was ready, Jimin started the music and Jungkook started going through the moves of his routine, trying to implement everything Jimin had shown him. But it was easier said than done.

Jungkook tried to imagine his girlfriend but all he could feel was the penetration of Jimin's observant gaze through his skin. His movements were sharp and, unlike before, a little messy. His face burned in embarrassment when he saw his arms move through the air wildly in the mirror.

Jimin waved his hands. “Stop,” he said as he cut the music.

Jungkook stopped. “Let me go again,” Jungkook said, determined. He had to prove to Jimin than he was much better than...that. Whatever the hell he just did.

“I will,” Jimin assured. “But what was...” Jimin demonstrated the wild arm movements Jungkook had just done. “What was that? You're punching your girlfriend in the face instead of letting her caress you.”

Even through his embarrassment, Jungkook couldn't help but to laugh at Jimin's silly comparison. He knew the other man was trying to keep practice light and not too stressful.

“Can we try something?” Jimin asked, walking forward.

It was apparently a rhetorical question because, before Jungkook could answer, Jimin was standing behind Jungkook and pushing on his shoulders to get him to kneel on the floor.

“We're going to just focus on the body roll and then kick up from the floor for now. I'm going to touch you. And just imagine that I'm your girlfriend.”

“What?” Jungkook asked, his eyes widening.

Jimin laughed and pointed at Jungkook's face. “You have cute expressions,” he murmured as if Jungkook wasn't losing a battle to a sudden onslaught of nerves.

But he must have known that Jungkook was going through _something_ because he allowed the younger man a moment to fully digest his suggestion without moving or saying anything else. He just smiled gently at their reflections in the mirror. He even casually fixed a strand of hair that was falling haphazardly against his forehead until Jungkook finally blinked again.

“Is that okay?” Jimin finally asked when Jungkook seemed to have come back to himself a little bit.

Jungkook gave a short nod, still not quite sure what he was agreeing to but going with it.

“Okay,” Jimin said, moving behind Jungkook on his knees while Jungkook assumed his own position – a side plank with one knee curled under and resting against the floor.

“Remember,” Jimin said...His voice caused Jungkook to jerk because it wasn't until that moment that Jungkook realized just how close Jimin was to him. He was maybe an inch behind Jungkook – if that – and his hand hovered over Jungkook's shoulder. “Just think of me as your girlfriend.” His lips twitched as if he recognized how absurd that request sounded. “Ready?” he asked.

'No,' Jungkook thought. But he gave another short nod.

“Move wherever my hand touches you,” Jimin instructed for a final time.

Jungkook gave another nod and then they started.

Jimin gently placed his hand on Jungkook's shoulder and then slid it to his chest. Jungkook couldn't help but to shudder. He didn't know if it was because he was placing so much focus on the sense of touch – a focus he had never zoned in on so intensely until now – but he felt as if Jimin's palm was emitting a small flame, warming his skin through the fabric of his clothing.

“Move into my touch,” Jimin instructed, his voice low and deep where it was usually high and gentle.

Jungkook didn't allow himself to get too much into his own head. He didn't like the way his heart was pounding – and he hoped Jimin didn't notice it – but he ignored his erratic inner vessel and focused on his reflection in the mirror. Focused on the touch trailing down his body. His lover's touch.

He pushed his chest slowly into the flames, allowing himself to embrace the heat – fall into it.

The heat trailed slowly down. To his abdomen. Heat that was emitted from dainty, smooth hands. Pretty hands.

Jungkook's body reacted to the heat, rolling slowly against the touch.

Jungkook took his eyes off of his own body and raised his eyes to the reflection of Jimin's face in the mirror. The other man was looking down at Jungkook's movements, his hand still slowly making its way down. Jungkook wished he hadn't looked up. It was an entrancing sight, Jimin looking at him with lidded eyes while his hand moved along his body.

Jimin's hand slid to Jungkook's thigh, causing an involuntary tremor to spasm the younger man's leg.

A pulled in a soft breath before quickly following through the rest of that particular dance movement, forgetting about the count and looking sensual. All he wanted at that moment was to get out of this moment.

He turned to meet a confused Jimin's eyes after he sat up onto his knees. He was sure the other man was wondering why he rushed through his last movements.

“I got it,” Jungkook said quickly hoping Jimin wouldn't ask them to go through that again. “I'll just practice on my own now and then send you another video.”

Jimin blinked, still confused, but he didn't fight Jungkook to the younger man's great relief. “Okay,” Jimin said.

A notification sound suddenly dinged through the room. Jimin pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and smiled at whatever was on the screen. “I hope you're not too eager to get started with your practice,” he said.

“Why?” Jungkook asked.

Jimin held out his phone to show Jungkook the screen. An image of Namjoon wearing shades and a mask had been posted onto the rapper's timeline. Jungkook recognized one of the recording rooms of BigHit. And the text under the picture read, “Time to get to work.”

Jungkook's mouth fell open. “He's here?” he asked, his eyes wide.

Jimin giggled and stood up. “Let's go.”

Jungkook stood up as well, his feet mindlessly following along behind Jimin towards the door but his mind was racing. “Where? To meet him?” he asked, his voice raised an octave due to nerves. “I'm not ready. He's working. What if he gets mad?”

Jimin giggled again, continuing to lead Jungkook out of the door. “Don't worry,” he said. “He won't get mad. Besides, I promised I'd introduce you two, didn't I?”

A whine that Jungkook wasn't even ashamed of left his pouted lips as he trailed behind Jimin in nervous anticipation.

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin felt like a proud parent introducing his favorite child to the neighbors.

At certain points during the introduction of Jungkook to Namjoon, Jimin had to consciously keep himself from squealing about how cute the younger man was. His face had bloomed red and he kept pressing his lips together to swallow deeply, causing his little cheeks to puff out. And the fact that he also kept moving into Jimin's space as if he was lowkey trying to hide behind him also made Jimin want to squirm under his own growing adoration for the younger.

“I've heard about you,” Namjoon was saying to the younger. Namjoon was taller than both of them and had his hair dyed blonde. His face was pulled into a pleasantly inquisitive mask, his deep voice welcoming. “I heard you can do everything well. Even rap.”

Jungkook blushed a deeper shade of red and shook his head. “No,” he said. “Nowhere near as good as you.”

Namjoon smiled, seeming to be taken by the younger man as well. “Well, I'd like to hear it sometime.”

Jungkook stepped a bit further behind Jimin and grabbed his arm. Jimin laughed and tried to keep the fondness and happiness from the younger coming to him for comfort pushed down somewhere in his chest and not allow it to spill out onto his facial features. He didn't know he had already lost that battle. “You mind if we keep you company for a bit?” Jimin asked, deciding to help Jungkook out by focusing Namjoon back onto his work.

“No!” Namjoon said. “I don't mind at all!”

Jimin and Jungkook took seats in wheeled desk chairs as Namjoon turned around and began to fiddle with a lot of dials and buttons that Jimin didn't know anything about. He moved a bit closer to Jungkook, who was staring at Namjoon in wide-eyed awe. “I'm still your favorite, though, right?”

A grin fell across Jungkook's face and he playfully shoved Jimin away.

The rest of the session went well with Jungkook gradually coming out of his shell and even falling into a conversation with Namjoon about arranging music and lyrics.

“Yoongi's better than I am at music production,” Namjoon was saying. “He's coming here in about ten minutes. You should meet him as well.”

“Yoongi's coming?” Jimin asked.

Namjoon turned to Jimin and nodded. “Yeah.” Remembrance shot across his face. “Oh, that's right. You're working with him on your new album, right?”

Jimin nodded.

“How's that coming?”

Jimin and Namjoon started talking about the ins and outs of his album with a fascinated Jungkook looking on and then, sure enough, Min Yoongi walked into the room.

“Is this a party?” he asked, his voice slightly raspy. Jimin would bet he probably woke up from a mid-day nap.

Jimin introduced Jungkook to Yoongi and was surprised when Yoongi addressed the younger man next. “Ahh~! You're Jungkook. Hang back after this. I need to talk to you.”

The younger man turned a questioning look to Jimin who just shrugged.

Jimin hung around for a while longer until he realized he should be using his day off to grab a half a day of sleep because he definitely needed it. But before he left he had to stake a claim.

He stood up and slid his arms around a seated Jungkook from behind, letting his hands rest on his chest. “Just remember, everyone,” Namjoon and Yoongi turned to him. “Jungkook is _my_ dongsaeng. You two are going to have to get your own.”

Both men looked at him with bewildered eyes and curled lips of disdain. Jimin ignored them and placed a kiss on top of Jungkook's head. “Bye, Jungkookie.”

“Bye, hyung,” Jungkook said with a smile.

When he left the room, Namjoon and Yoongi scoffed.

“What a weirdo,” Yoongi muttered.

Jungkook didn't agree with Yoongi's sentiments, a small smile on his face.

**Jungkook's POV:**

Jungkook surprisingly got a week off.

Once he and Yoongi got the studio to themselves, Yoongi had put him in the booth and had him sing a few songs – sometimes with instruction from the producer and sometimes without. Jungkook didn't know what it had all been about but he assumed he had left a positive impression since Yoongi's last words were: “Very good, kid. I see why the company has big plans for you.”

They were words that made Jungkook both excited and nervous. Because he was glad to know that the company did, in fact, have something planned for him. He just wished he knew what those plans were.

His manager had then contacted him the following day telling him he had the week off because his next few weeks were going to be grueling in preparation for something big.

So now Jungkook sat in front of the television screen in his home in Busan, trying not to obsess over what “big plans” and “something big” meant.

He forced himself to focus back in on the present. He and his parents were watching a rerun of _Hello Counselor_ , a show where guests expressed their concerns about someone they knew. The current segment featured a mother who was worried about her son who liked to wear makeup and dance girl group dances. She was afraid he would get bullied because of it.

“Aiyoo~” his mother sighed from beside him on the couch. “Why would you wear makeup when you're a man? The world is changing too quickly.” She tsked.

Jungkook stared at the man on the screen. He was also curious about it. The young man was wearing bold red lipstick, foundation, and full eye makeup. He looked pretty, but he wondered why any man would put themselves on display like that. Why anyone would highlight their differences for all the world to see.

His thoughts suddenly moved to Jimin and how the older man also usually wore a bit of makeup, but he quickly rationalized that that was different. Jimin was in entertainment. It was part of the business, having to make sure you looked good at all times. He would probably start having to wear a bit of makeup if he ever debuted as well. The man on television was just going through daily life. It was weird.

“Do you think he's gay?” his mother continued. “Young people today are starting to adopt what the foreigners do.”

Jungkook's father cleared his throat. “It's ridiculous. The good thing is he's still young. I'm sure when he gets older and meets a nice girl, he'll stop following that trend soon enough.”

“I just wish young people were more strong-minded.” Jungkook's mom patted his hand. “I'm glad we never had any trouble with you. You're the perfect son.”

Jungkook smiled at his mom.

* * *

Later that night, when Seon Woo texted him that she was off of work, he went to meet her at her house. She lived with her father who was a police officer. Her mother, who had been divorced from her father for over two years now, stayed in Seoul. She and Seon Woo didn't have the greatest relationship.

Jungkook walked through the front door when he arrived as Seon Woo had instructed him to do.

He had expected Seon Woo to bound over and maul him at the door when he walked in, but he was greeted by no one and the lights were out. It looked like no one was home, but he knew that couldn't be true because Seon Woo had told him to meet her here. “Hello?” he called, shutting the door behind him softly.

'She's probably going to try to jump out and scare me,' he thought as he moved slowly through the house.

He knew the place well enough as he had been over there quite a few times. The house wasn't big at all, but it was cozy. The open layout of the house had the living room connected to the kitchen and one bedroom was set off to the right once you entered the house and the other was down along the short hallway, cut off from the kitchen by a wall partition. A bathroom lay in between them.

The door at the end of the hallway led to Seon Woo's father's room, so he headed for the first bedroom.

“Knock knock~” he warned when he got there, preparing to slide the door open. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for a jump scare and then opened the entrance and realized...

Nothing could have prepared him for this.

Seon Woo sat on the side of her bed with her legs crossed, dressed only in lace underwear, matching lace stockings, and Jimin's signed red tie. Her dark hair hung in soft waves around her shoulders and her bangs brushed her eyelashes, enhancing the sultry look in her eyes. The shiny, bright tie laid against her smooth, pale skin. Nestled gently between her bare breasts. Breasts that weren't very big at all but big enough.

Jungkook gulped.

“Welcome home,” she purred.

* * *

The tie was a nice touch.

Jungkook held onto it as he thrust between his girlfriend's legs. There was something thrilling about having a remnant of Park Jimin in the sheets with them. Jungkook wondered what the older man would say if he knew.

It was just a fleeting wondering. A debaucherous and sinful wondering that Jungkook knew he would never truly expose to the man. Just a thought that flitted through his mind in the throes of passion and made his pleasure that much more intense.

It was no big deal, really. Jungkook would dismiss it for now and pray about it later.

Jungkook watched through hooded lids the way that Seon Woo's breasts bounced around Jimin's fancy handwriting. He clutched the tie harder and closed his eyes, slowing down the pace.

Seon Woo followed him, allowing the slight reprieve. She moaned and took her lip between her teeth as Jungkook began to slowly roll his hips, making sure he brushed against her clitoris with each thrust.

Jungkook knew he was a good lover; he was a quick learner after all.

When the pleasure became too much, Seon Woo wrapped her arms and legs around Jungkook and took control from him, her moans growing steadily louder. Jungkook wrapped the tie around his hand and pulled it to the side, holding onto it for dear life, as he began to succumb to the tight walls of pleasure surrounding him.

A lot of images played behind Jungkook's eyes as he began to reach his climactic peak. Images he wouldn't dwell on. He quickly stilled Seon Woo's hips by pressing her into the bed and drove them both to climax.

They were both panting by the time Jungkook rolled to the side, releasing the tie he had gifted Seon Woo for her birthday. White marks were imprinted in his hand where he had held on too tightly.

“Wow,” Seon Woo breathed. “I guess a little time apart isn't a bad thing.”

Jungkook smiled and turned over onto his side, stroking Seon Woo's hair away from her face. Seon Woo mimicked his position so that they were facing each other on the bed. “I guess not,” Jungkook agreed.

He gently trailed his finger down Seon Woo's face. He really had missed her. He was glad to be back in the everyday comfort and normalcy of her presence. He allowed his finger to trail down her neck to the tie still hanging there. He smoothed it between his index finger and thumb. His hand brushed against Seon Woo's nipple as he went, causing her to shudder.

She smiled. “I take it that you liked your surprise.”

“I did,” Jungkook said. “You've definitely given me memories to hold onto whenever I go back and get lonely.” He pouted.

Seon Woo chuckled and put her hand against his lips, pushing his pout back in. “Don't do that. You're gonna make me sad. I want to be happy while you're here. Don't want to think about you leaving again.”

She snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Let's talk about our future again,” she prompted.

“Okay,” Jungkook agreed.

“You're going to debut in the next year...” She started.

Jungkook nodded in the darkness of the room. Even though they couldn't be assured of that fact, anything was possible in the fantasy they created. “Then I'm going to have a successful career for at least five years and make a lot of money.”

Seon Woo giggled, her breath brushing Jungkook's chest. “I'll spend that time working on getting my business degree then start working on opening my own restaurant chain under the leadership of Seokjin sunbaenim.”

Jungkook chuckled at the formal way she mentioned their friend. He reminded himself to go visit him before he left. “I'll be around 26 when I decide that I'm going to take a break from music. I'll vacation with you for a year...” Seon Woo squeezed him and squealed in excitement. “And then I'll do my military duty.” Seon Woo whined, holding him closer.

“I'm going to have to spend such a long time away from you,” she said, sadness in her voice.

“I know.” Jungkook stroked his hand up and down her back. “But we'll get through it. Keep going.”

Seon Woo blew out a small breath and continued. “My business will be pretty successful by the time you get out of the military. So I'll be ready to focus on family and pushing out at least three kids for you.”

“Three?!” Jungkook asked, shocked. “I thought we decided on one.”

“...Two.” Seon Woo bargained.

“One and a half.”

Seon Woo laughed and hit Jungkook's chest. “Don't joke about that. We could really end up having a disfigured kid.”

“That's okay!” Jungkook protested. “I wouldn't love him any less.”

Seon Woo laughed. “You're the sweetest.” Then she paused. “Wait... 'him'? Do you want a boy?”

Jungkook shrugged. “I didn't really think about it. I'd be okay with whatever. A girl would be cute.”

“You would spoil a girl.”

“I would,” Jungkook agreed.

“We would get married while I'm still fat with our first baby. Because we couldn't wait anymore to start our family,” Seon Woo said.

“Oof. My mom wouldn't be happy.”

“Neither would my dad,” Seon Woo laughed. “But what they say wouldn't matter because you're my number one.”

Jungkook smiled, feeling warm with that statement. “You're my number one too,” he promised.

They lay quiet after that, wrapped around each other. Both happy with their thoughts of the future. Both ignoring the fear in the back of their minds that none of it would ever happen.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

The floor seemed to disappear from beneath Jimin's feet.

This wasn't how things were supposed to happen. This wasn't how he had planned for his comeback, his future to go.

“What?” He asked for a repeat of what the CEO had just said to him even though he had heard him clearly.

“You're going to come back as a duo. I'll leave it up to you and your partner what you decide to call yourselves.”

Jimin stared at his boss behind the desk, speaking as if he wasn't cruelly shattering all of his dreams. This was supposed to be _his_ comeback. His album. His performances. He had put so much work and planning into making this completely his. Something he and his fans could be proud of. This was finally the year where he was going to step out of playing the puppet and doing only what was dictated to him but become an artist in his own right.

“I don't want to,” he said. “Why should I? I've been successful on my own until now.”

“You have,” CEO Bang said. “But I and a few others here feel like you can go even higher. Your name could be known worldwide, not just in Korea.”

Jimin pinched his lips together tightly to keep from yelling at his boss and doing something he might regret. The CEO didn't understand. He didn't care about worldwide success. What he cared about was his individuality. Which was being stripped away from him. Again.

“How would pairing up with some amateur help me?” Jimin asked. “It sounds like this is only beneficial to him. He'll be reaping all of my benefits after hardly doing any of the work. Who is this clown anyway?”

“You know him,” CEO Bang said. “In fact, you're friends with him. It was your camaraderie with him that helped to finalize me making my decision.” The CEO typed a few things into the computer on his desk and then turned the screen to face Jimin...

Whose stomach dropped to his shoes.

The Twitter timeline full of Jungkook and Jimin stared him in the face.

“Jeon Jungkook. Your self-proclaimed dongsaeng,” the CEO continued. “The trainers have been sending me videos of you two working together and we all think you both complement each other too well to not capitalize on this. Lee Minki said you two harmonize perfectly. And I have to agree after that video he sent me.”

Jimin closed his eyes, cursing to himself, as he remembered Lee Minki recording video during his and Jungkook's voice lesson.

“I even heard you brought him to set with you, introduced him to your contacts, and helped him get a modeling gig. Trainers have even seen you helping him with dance. I'm surprised you're not more accepting to the idea. It's like you started branding yourselves as a duo before we could even pitch the concept.”

Jimin ran his hand through his hair in frustration. So this was his fault. Him and his stupid inability to resist cute things.

“Yoongi agrees too,” the CEO continued.

Jimin's head shot up.

“He worked with him in the studio a couple of days ago and he says his voice is perfect for what was missing on your album-”

Jimin stood up, interrupting the CEO with his action. He felt betrayed. By everyone. Even himself. “No,” he said. “I'm not doing it. Either call it off or I quit.”

“We can't stop it,” CEO Bang said, his voice still too uncaring of Jimin's plight. “The press has been notified that you will be coming back as a duo. There are articles about it. We'll keep your duo partner secret to help drum up anticipation, but I think a lot of fans will be able to guess. And I think they'll be happy when they see that they're right.”

Jimin wasn't going to back down. He bit his tongue before speaking again. “Stop the news. Or I will quit,” he said again.

“You can't break your contract,” the CEO stated, maddeningly calm. “Not without a lot of legal action that is too much trouble than I think you're willing to go through just to keep being stubborn.”

Jimin wanted to scream and even stamp his feet like a child, but he knew that would get him nowhere. He was trapped in a contract and a company that apparently cared little about him as a person. “Whatever,” he said. And he was ashamed that that was all he could say in the face of a decision so detrimental to his career being made on his behalf. He stormed out of the room, feeling nothing but pathetic.

* * *

**Jungkook's POV:**

When he got back, Jungkook immediately noticed the change to his schedule. First of all, it was packed. Second of all, where he originally had only had general voice lessons and dance lessons scheduled, he now had one-on-one sessions scheduled with producers such as Min Yoongi and Namjoon. And his dance lessons were doubled, going well into the night.

His eyes widened and his heart pounded, knowing that this had something to do with the “big plans” Yoongi had mentioned before.

He took a picture of his printed out schedule and sent it in a message to Jimin. Underneath the message he wrote, “I think they forgot to schedule in time for me to breathe.”

He sent the message, proud of his wittiness and then pocketed his phone.

He tried not to feel hurt about the past few messages that were already sent to his hyung that had gone unanswered. He figured the other man was probably just busy. His comeback _was_ getting closer and closer to approaching.

It was during his first session with Yoongi that Jungkook found out what was going on.

“Hey,” he greeted the older man.

“Hey,” Yoongi responded.

They were in the same studio they had been in when he met Namjoon. Yoongi was standing at the arranging board, everything all set up and ready to go. “Do you know what's going on?” Yoongi asked.

Jungkook shook his head.

“I figured,” Yoongi continued. “The communication around this place is horrible. Well...” He stepped forward and held his hand out for Jungkook to shake. “Congratulations. You're debuting, kid.”

Jungkook's eyes widened. “What? When?” He tried to keep his heart from leaping into his throat as he hesitantly took Yoongi's hand because he really had no idea what was going on. It was a strange feeling. He had been wanting this so much but now that it was happening – he was excited, yes, but he also felt overwhelmed. Everything was happening so quickly.

“In about two months. With Jimin.”

Jungkook blinked. “What?” he asked again.

“You and he are going to debut as a duo,” Yoongi said again patiently. “Have you seen nothing about this on social media at all?”

Jungkook shook his head. He hadn't really been on social media any during his visit home.

His mind was reeling. Debuting with Park Jimin? In about two months? It felt like he was living in a dream. That all of this was too good to be true. Not only was he debuting like he wanted, but he was going to be with one of his best friends – his _only_ best friend in Seoul. The feelings broiling inside him finally became less muddled and just became one thing. Happy. He was happy.

What he wasn't aware of was that Jimin didn't feel the same.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Tumblr or find me there to commission me for fanfics: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/
> 
> $10/chapter or one-shot  
> $1/page  
> Any prompt; any pairing; any continuation of any ongoing fanfic of mine
> 
> But most importantly, please leave a comment. I love reading them! Thanks, guys! :D


	7. Jeon Jungkook, You're so Annoying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really had so much fun writing this chapter. Thank you, anon, for your support. You have no idea how much your commissions have given me a chance to feel better during this shitty week! Thank you so, so much. I hope you have as much fun reading as I had writing.

**Jungkook's POV:**

Jungkook walked into one of the conference rooms located inside of the BigHit Entertainment building. A large wooden table with a smooth and polished surface was surrounded by about ten desk chairs. A projector and podium stood at the front of the room.

The room was a bit chilly due to the overzealous air conditioning and it didn't help Jungkook's nerves. He gulped. He had never been in such a business-like setting before.

Min Yoongi was the only other person sitting in the room. A stack of papers sat in front of him and next to him.

Jungkook's mouth fell open slightly in surprise. “Is it just us?” he asked Yoongi, a little hopefully.

Yoongi, a beanie on his head and long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans on, looked up from the papers in front of him to look at Jungkook. “For now,” Yoongi responded. “Come on in,” he prompted. Because Jungkook was simply standing near the door as if he was contemplating running away.

Jungkook was dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt – the sleeves currently pushed up to his elbows – and fitted black jeans. He moved to a chair on the opposite side of the table from Yoongi and sat.

“The CEO, a couple of other producers, and lawyers are coming a little later but I figured I needed to meet with you guys first. I've worked with Jimin for a while now helping him to produce this album and...let's just say I think it's necessary that it just be us for now,” Yoongi finished.

Jungkook looked down at the table with a thoughtful frown.

He didn't lack perception completely. After his fifth unanswered text to Jimin, he knew something was wrong. The other man always replied to him. Almost eagerly. The fact that he had been ignoring the younger in the past week made Jungkook worry.

“Do you think he's mad at me?” Jungkook found himself asking Yoongi.

Yoongi blinked, not looking surprised by the question. “I think...” Yoongi started, choosing his words carefully. “I think Jimin has been working on this album for a long time and he had a plan in mind from start to finish. And now that plan isn't happening as he envisioned and it's throwing him for a spin. It has nothing to do with you.”

Jungkook nodded. But he still felt a little hurt. He understood what Yoongi was saying, but it was hard for him to feel like it had nothing to do with him when he was the one it seemed as if Park Jimin may not want to work with him after all. It made Jungkook feel like Jimin didn't like him as much as he thought he had. Or maybe Jimin didn't think he was talented enough. Neither thought sat swell on Jungkook's heart.

He didn't have time to think on it much longer before the door was opening again and the said man who had made himself scarce in the past week came walking through. He had a beanie pushed down over his head, a fringe of bangs peeking out underneath to brush against the large shades that adorned his eyes. An oversized beige sweater and jeans completed his look.

Jungkook grew suddenly nervous. He wasn't sure why, but Jimin's appearance made him anxious.

The older man walked over to Jungkook's side of the table but he left a chair between them as he pulled out a seat to sit down. “Let's get this over with,” he muttered.

And Jungkook's heart sank.

There had been a part of him still hoping that maybe Jimin really had been just busy and that would explain his sudden lack of textual response. But now, with the way Jimin didn't even look at him and brusquely started the meeting, he was sure that his prior suspicions had been correct. Park Jimin really didn't want to work with him.

“Okay,” Yoongi said. The meeting was moving forward as if Jungkook didn't just get a slap to the face.

Oh yeah...he didn't. It just felt like that.

“Bang PD and a couple of lawyers are going to be coming to get Jungkook's new contract finalized but before that happened, I wanted you – Jimin – to go ahead and start thinking about how you wanted to rearrange the songs.” Yoongi shuffled some papers in front of him and Jungkook realized they must be printouts of the songs on Jimin's album.

Jungkook glanced over at Jimin, whose lips were set in a hard line.

Yoongi either didn't pick up on the mood, or he ignored it. Either way, he passed the songs over to Jimin. “What parts do you want to give to Jungkook?”

Jungkook kept his eyes focused on the wooden table.

This wasn't how he had imagined things to be when he had first heard he would be working with Jimin. He had imagined a celebratory dinner together, amicable chatting, and Jimin eagerly showing him the ropes. He hadn't expected to feel like an interloper. Someone who wanted to sink into the ground and get away from the anger and disappointment emanating from the seat next to him.

Jimin inhaled before releasing a loud sigh through his nose and then pulled the papers toward him with purpose. He pulled a pen from his jeans pocket and began to make marks with almost no hesitation.

Jungkook was surprised. He had been expecting the other man to protest by refusing to assign parts for a minute there.

After about ten minutes of heavy silence and pen scratching furiously against paper, Jimin capped the writing tool and pushed the papers in Jungkook's direction. “There,” he said.

Jungkook took the sheets of paper. The first one had large 'x' signs over all verses except for a couple of lines in parentheses, which were circled and marked with Jungkook's initials. Jungkook's brow furrowed and he moved on to the next song. It was the same. And so was the next. And the next.

“You only gave me backing vocals,” he said, his voice low.

Jimin didn't even turn toward him. “So?”

Jungkook wondered how he should respond for a second until the statement floating at the forefront of his mind became the only obvious route for him. “I'm not a backup singer,” he said. He turned to look at Jimin and stated directly. “We're partners.”

That got Jimin's attention. He turned to look at Jungkook with an unreadable expression. His lips remained in a straight line and his eyes were covered by shades. If Jungkook could have read the older man's mind though, he would have gotten how shocked Jimin was at the younger's directness. How the older man was once again taken aback by the confidence underlying the kid's shy and quiet demeanor. But Jungkook couldn't read minds. And Jimin didn't allow any of that to show. The only thing he wanted to show was that he was in control.

“We're not,” Jimin stated coldly, his eyebrows shooting up. “Just because you impressed a few amateurs doesn't mean we're on the same level.”

Ouch.

Jungkook was getting a lot of wounds to his heart today.

It was the first time Jimin had said something less than friendly to him and the first time Jungkook realized being on the other end of Jimin's ire was akin to being on the other end of a sword.

Not wanting Jimin to see how much he had hurt him, Jungkook turned his face away, staring back at the table.

Yoongi had stood up to take the papers from in front of Jungkook, looking through them. He looked up at Jimin with an impassive expression. “You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?”

Jimin returned Yoongi's stared from behind his shades and shrugged.

“I expected as much,” Yoongi said with a sigh. “Which is why I'm pulling out.”

Jimin's brows disappeared behind his shades and a crease appeared in his forehead. A frown turned his lips downward. “What?” he asked.

“I have spent more than a year working on this project with you,” Yoongi said, exasperation in his voice. “Putting my other work on the backburner. And a large portion of that time was spent in a stalemate with you – no communication – because you _refused_ to take any of my suggestions. Your stubbornness wasted us precious time that I could have spent working on something else or, better yet, on vacation. I am not going to go through another episode like that with you.”

Jungkook stared with wide eyes as Yoongi ranted, still in a surprisingly calm tone but intimidating nonetheless.

“I will put a cease and desist on my contributions and pull out of this project. _Unless_ you just make things easy for _once_ and let go of some of your pride. So either cooperate or start back at square one. That's my offer to you.”

A pregnant silence descended. Jungkook waited.

He slid a glance over to Jimin who looked like he was holding back curses with how tightly his lips were pressed together. Jungkook glanced down to his hands. His knuckles were white due to how hard his hands were clasped together in his lap.

Jungkook knew that Yoongi contributed to quite a bit of the musical arrangement on this album so if he exited the project and took his creative contributions with him, that would undoubtedly make Jimin's scheduled comeback impossible.

Yoongi wasn't giving him any choice but to agree. It was an ultimatum.

“Fine,” Jimin gritted out after what seemed like forever. “We can assign him parts after he signs his contract.”

Yoongi smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes. “Good. I'll let you two work on that by yourselves. Just come into the studio Wednesday morning ready to sing.” He stood up, gathering his papers. “I'm leaving. See you two around.”

And just like that he was gone from the room.

Jungkook and Jimin sat in silence with Jungkook wondering if that had been Yoongi's plan all along. To corner Jimin and give him the Don Corleone offer he couldn't refuse. Jungkook swallowed deeply, keeping in mind never to get on Yoongi's bad side.

He was surprised when Jimin spoke up from beside him.

“I'm basically being forced to work with you,” he said.

Jungkook waited for him to continue. For a moment, he thought he was just making a statement, cutting the younger man's still-open wound deeper. But he kept speaking.

“I can't do anything about it unless I want to deal with a lot of legal shit. Which I don't.” Jungkook kept waiting for him to get to the point. “But you can do something,” Jimin finally said, his voice almost hopeful.

Jungkook turned to him with a questioning expression.

Jimin took off his shades and turned to face Jungkook without any barriers for the first time that day. “You haven't upgraded your contract yet,” Jimin explained. “So if you just tell them that you don't want to work with me, you would get off scotfree. Just go back to doing what you were doing with no repercussions.”

Jungkook furrowed his brow as he began to understand what Jimin was asking of him. “You mean you want me to continue being a trainee. Give up on debut?”

Jimin sat forward. “You'll get another shot to debut. This isn't your only chance. Everyone loves you!”

“You don't know that,” Jungkook said. “There's no guarantee that I would get another opportunity like this.”

A flash of anger sparked across Jimin's eyes. “You're nineteen, Jungkook. You have plenty of time.”

“And you're 21!” Jungkook responded. “You can always do another solo album! This may be my only chance to debut!”

Jimin scowled, but he knew he had no retort that was going to make Jungkook change his mind. Especially not with his thoughts scattered by frustration. So he just settled on insulting the younger man. “You're selfish,” he huffed, putting his shades back onto his face.

“No, you are!” Jungkook argued back, not caring how childish he sounded. He turned in his seat and looked forward, staring at the wall, refusing to look at the man beside him throughout the rest of the proceedings.

* * *

But he didn't want to leave things that way.

As they left the room, he quickened his pace behind Jimin until he caught up to the shorter man who had been heading steadfastly towards the front of the building. He tapped the older man's wrist, causing him to stop and turn around. He could tell from the frown that Jimin was still simmering. “What?” the silver-haired celebrity snapped.

Jungkook licked his lips. He didn't really know what he wanted to say; he just knew he wanted to reaffirm something. He was unsure until the words spilled from his lips. “Am I still your dongsaeng?”

Jimin didn't say anything for a while and Jungkook fidgeted under his stare. If Jungkook could see behind the other man's shades, he would see that the other man's eyes had darkened into a glower. But not because his anger toward the situation had increased and not because he hated the kid in front of him. It was quite the opposite.

He glowered because he was struck once again by just how...freaking... _cute_! This kid was. And that wasn't a thought he wanted to have when all of his plans were going down the drain and the source of it all was standing here in front of him. He wanted to hold a grudge! At least for a little while. But instead, he was fighting down the urge to drop all resentment and squish the younger one's cheeks.

It pissed him off!

“You're so annoying,” Jimin scoffed before turning and storming away.

  
  


And because Jungkook couldn't read minds, that was another wound.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin was still sulking the next morning when he received a phone call from Taehyung. “What?” he asked grumpily.

“Well, good morning to you too,” Taehyung responded over the line.

Jimin didn't bother to move from between his messy sheets. He didn't want to get up for the rest of his life. He wanted to stay in bed and wallow in self-pity. But he knew he couldn't do that because he had a radio show today and a photoshoot for a magazine.

He grunted as his good morning return greeting to Taehyung.

“Guess who's gonna be back in Korea tomorrow? And guess who demands best friend time?” his friend asked.

“Guess who's wondering why you're calling him when you're still in Italy and giving him international charges? And guess who would rather stay in bed with their cat?” Jimin stroked his cat's chin as he spoke the last statement. She was sprawled out on the covers next to him, ignoring the whole other side of the bed just to cause him as much discomfort as possible by pushing into his space.

Taehyung tsked. “Don't pretend you're not rich,” he retorted. “And that's fine. We can both spend quality time with Mina.”

“Mina hates you.”

“She'll learn to love me.”

“You've been saying that for four years now.”

“She's a slow learner.”

“Don't call my cat slow.”

Taehyung whined. “Please, Jimine? I need to talk to you about something.”

“What?” Jimin asked.

“Girl trouble.”

“Is this about that girl you picked up in the club last week?”

“Maybe.”

“I told you not to pick up foreigners.”

“You did not tell me that.”

Jimin rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “Okay, maybe I just thought it really hard. But still...”

“Besides, that's not the problem. She's great. Just...Know that we need best friend time tomorrow.”

Jimin sighed. “Okay,” he said, not really as reluctant as he sounded. He needed to talk to someone as well. If anyone would be able to understand his side of things, it would be Taehyung. “Are you and Ryu Won going to have any days off this coming week?” He would like to spend some time with his boyfriend as well.

  
  


Taehyung was silent for a moment. Jimin checked his phone screen to make sure the call hadn't disconnected. “Hello?” he prompted.

“Yes. Yeah, I'm here,” Taehyung said. “...Just thinking. But yeah...We have a couple of days off. Tomorrow and the day after.”

“Cool,” Jimin said. “I'm going to call him. But do you maybe want to go out tomorrow too? I need to get my mind off of something.”

“Mmm...Okay,” Taehyung said. “Not anywhere too crazy though. I'm tired of people.”

Jimin chuckled. His friend's mood usually swung between two extremes. He was either a loud, fun-loving social butterfly or a seemingly practicing monk who wanted to get off the grid and stay that way until his next bout of outgoing socializing desires hit him. Jimin joked that he changed with the seasons. “Okay,” he replied to his friend. “Dinner at a lounge. How about that?”

“Sounds good.”

“Okay, I'm going to call Ryu Won now and see what he thinks.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow. Bye.”

“Bye.”

After the phone call, Jimin was surprised to realize that he felt at least a little bit better. A couple of his favorite people were coming back from Italy. That should take his mind off of things for a while.

* * *

Later that evening, as he was finishing up his photoshoot, Jimin stared suspiciously at one of the new followers he had gotten on Twitter. Usually, he didn't pay much attention to notifications about new followers because it was hard to keep up since it wasn't odd for multiple people to start following him at a time but the username NotJJK kind of stood out to him.

He clicked on the username and was led to the profile which consisted of a profile picture of Namjoon taken straight from Google and an 'About Me' section that simply read, “21. Bored.” The profile was new and the first tweet of NotJJK read, “Finally got a Twitter. How does this work?”

Jimin rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Idiot.”

He crushed down any feelings that made him want to smile, coo, or do any combination of those things and only focused on the thought that Jeon Jungkook was an idiot who probably legitimately thought that Jimin wouldn't recognize him under his super discreet pseudonym. He thought about blocking the younger man but decided against it. Playing it cool was a better option here.

He ran his hand through his hair, checked his reflection in the mirror, and then raised his phone to take a selca. He plastered on a gentle smile for the photo, was pleased with the result, and then posted it to his timeline above the caption: “Don't let anyone or anything take the smile from your face. Remember that, Minis.” Minis were what his fanclub called themselves. He followed the caption with fitting hashtags, making sure to tag his stylist and makeup artist as well so that people could be redirected to their page.

When he was done, he shut off his phone screen and smiled to himself. 'There,' he thought pettily, childishly happy about how much more adept he was at using the social media network than the big-eyed overgrown child with pouty lips, Jeon Jungkook.

  
  


A notification sounded from his phone and he picked it back up. It was a notification from Twitter.

NotJJK had liked his photo.

He crushed down feelings again.

* * *

**Jungkook's POV:**

Without Jimin, Jungkook was alone. Like...really alone.

He knew how much he had enjoyed texting the other man and knowing that he had him in his corner, but he hadn't realized how much he was relying on his companionship until the day when Jimin made it clear that he didn't want to work with him. That night he had cried while staring at the ceiling of his cheap, rundown room.

It just really hit him how much he missed his parents and his home. His friends in Busan. Seon Woo.

That feeling had previously been offset with the thought that he at least had someone on his side in this large, new city. But now there was nothing.

He usually didn't mind spending time on his own. In fact, it was what he tended to prefer. But that was when he knew time alone was an option. Not a given just because he simply had nobody else. This feeling was a loneliness he had never felt before.

Jungkook knew that the feeling would pass. That it was only because it was quiet and dark that he was allowing his thoughts to take over and get the best of him. But the fact that he knew the pain would pass didn't make it hurt any less.

Maybe that's why, on Wednesday – after a grueling studio session wherein Jimin at first didn't even acknowledge him and then mercilessly made him sing one line over and over again and then left without even so much as a glance backwards or a goodbye – Jungkook had hung around the studio with Yoongi. He was aware that he probably looked like a lost puppy. He felt like one too. He just didn't want to go back home and be alone again.

The good thing was that Yoongi didn't seem to mind. He just continued to work silently, sometimes asking Jungkook his opinion on a sound.

After what seemed like a couple of hours, he finally seemed to come out of work mode. He stretched before his eyes settled on Jungkook.

“Wanna go eat street food?” he asked simply, his tone a lazy drawl.

Jungkook nodded eagerly. It felt good to know that he was not, in fact, bothering the man and that the older man wouldn't mind spending a little more time with him.

Yoongi gave a nod. “Hold on,” he said. “Let me call Namjoon. I told him I would let him know when I was done.”

“Okay.”

Jungkook waited while Yoongi dialed Namjoon's number and put the phone to his ear. It was soon settled that they would meet Namjoon for a few drinks before all hitting Seoul's night street market.

Jungkook smiled, excited. Maybe Jimin wasn't his only friend after all.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin was grateful for the dim lighting in the upscale lounge. It was one of his favorite places to come. Not only because the atmosphere was cozy and intimate but because it was where mostly only other celebrities, socialites, and business owners frequented so he didn't have to worry much about being spotted by fans and interrupted on his date.

He considered it a date even though Taehyung was there as well, surprisingly, along with the same American girl he had picked up last week and the same girl he had spent the last two hours talking Jimin's ear off about before they came here.

Apparently, Taehyung was in love even though neither of them understood what the other was saying seventy-five percent of the time.

A small smile touched Jimin's face as he watched them snuggle up against each other from where his head rested on Ryu Won's shoulder. He thought it was amusing. And fascinating.

He just hoped Taehyung wouldn't come out hurt after all was said and done.

He quickly pulled his head away from where it was nestled between Ryu Won's chin and shoulder and grabbed the glass in front of him to take a drink. He was always careful about how much he touched Ryu Won in public. Just in case. Because he felt comfortable here but no place that wasn't within the four walls of each of their homes was entirely safe.

The gentle crooning of a female jazz singer drifted from the stage to their booth, but it didn't cover the sound of Ryu Won's sigh.

“What's wrong?” Jimin asked, stroking his boyfriend's thigh beneath the table.

Ryu Won was a handsome man with jet black hair, piercing eyes, and a sharp nose. His frame was tall and slender. Tonight, he was dressed in a short sleeve Gucci t-shirt and jeans. Jimin sometimes felt short and stocky next to his willowy boyfriend, but he guessed that sort of came with the territory of someone whose profession demanded physical perfection. Even moreso than that of an idol.

“Nothing,” Ryu Won said.

Jimin peered at him out of the side of his eye with a knowing smirk on his face. “Come on,” he said. “I know you. Why are you sighing?”

He trailed his fingernails up and down Ryu Won's thigh, coaxing him to speak.

He hadn't yet told Taehyung or Ryu Won about the new situation with his contract – the fact that he was now going to be part of a duo – because he was stalling. The longer he put off talking about it, the less cemented was the fact that it was really happening.

He didn't want to talk about his troubles yet, so listening to Ryu Won talk about his would be a welcome distraction.

“Nothing,” Ryu Won said again. “Nothing you can really do anything about anyway.”

Jimin let his hand settle high up on Ryu Won's thigh and squeezed. “Are you sure?” he whispered.

He felt Ryu Won take in a quick breath and he knew that meant things were moving in a good direction. But before they could continue, a familiar voice carried through the room from the stage. A deep voice introducing a new track they had been working on.

“Namjoon!” Taehyung shouted, shooting out of his seat and bringing his girlfriend with him. “Jimin, it's Namjoon!”

Jimin giggled at Taehyung's excitement and had to keep from leaping from his seat with the same amount. He managed to show a bit more restraint. “I hear him,” he said, slowly leaving his spot next to Ryu Won to follow Taehyung where to the middle of the floor so that they could have a better view of the stage. A small crowd was already forming there. “Are you coming?” he turned back to ask Ryu Won.

“Yeah,” Ryu Won replied. “I'm just gonna use the bathroom first.”

“Okay.”

He slid out of his seat and moved towards the stage.

It wasn't rare for Namjoon to come here to perform, but it _was_ rare for him to preview one of his new tracks. Jimin slid next to Taehyung who was backhugging his date and they shared excited smiles.

“But before I start, one of my friends – a talented friend of mine - told me outside that he suffers from stage fright. And you know what I told him? The best way to combat that is to just face it. Over and over again. So I told him he should start tonight. With a freestyle rap to introduce himself!”

The lounge diners, now turned audience, cheered. Jimin did as well, a smile on his face.

“Everybody please welcome my friend, Jeon Jungkook!”

The smile slid off of Jimin's face and he stopped clapping. 'No way,' he thought.

His eyes followed to where Namjoon had his arm thrown out, towards the back of the stage where – sure enough – Jungkook, dressed in the same hoodie and jeans that he had seen him in hours earlier was trying to fake away from Yoongi, who was pushing him further and further forward onstage.

“Jeon Jungkook is a trainee at my company, BigHit, where he's set to debut soon.” Namjoon continued as if there wasn't a literal struggle happening behind him. “Please give him a lot of love and support.”

The audience cheered again, this time minus a Jimin. 'No way,' Jimin thought again. 'I left this little big-eyed idiot behind. Why did he follow me here?'

“BigHit?” Taehyung said beside him. “He trains at your company, Jimin?”

Jimin didn't respond.

Yoongi had managed to finally force Jungkook to the front of the stage and pushed a mic in his hand. He now stood looking out at the audience with that... _ugh_! Cute ass wide-eyed expression on his face. Large circular glasses rested on his nose, an accessory Jimin had never seen the younger man wear before, and he had to admit they made him look - _like_ _a dork_! - the anger side of his brain tried to supply. But the larger side of his brain knew that the original thought had been that the glasses made him look even more adorable than normal.

Jimin shifted on his feet as each second passed that Jungkook didn't move, say anything, or even breathe. He told himself he wanted to laugh and jeer but really his feet were itching to run up onstage and save the younger boy from the evil plot of the monstrous Namjoon and villainous Yoongi.

'Why would they force the kid to perform when he obviously doesn't want to?' Jimin thought, forgetting that his anger was supposed to be directed at Jungkook and not his two seniors.

His heart beat anxiously in his chest and his palms were sweating. 'Why does it feel like _I'm_ the one with stage fright?' Jimin thought angrily, his thoughts pinging off of the walls of his brain trying to figure themselves out.

His feet began to move. And he knew he was about to go onstage, snatch the kid and run away with him but he was frozen to his spot when Jungkook's eyes landed on him. His expression finally shifted. A look of surprise touched his face. Then determination.

Jimin stayed where he was. Something told him that confident Kook was coming.

“Someone give me a beat,” Jungkook finally spoke, his voice deep and steady.

A large-set man at the front of the room wasted no time in starting to beatbox behind the cup of his hands. Jungkook met Jimin's eyes again before he began to groove to the rhythm.

When he began to rap, Jimin could only stand in awe. It was a silly rap that started with him stating what his name was but it was undoubtedly witty and showcased a sharp use of flow, rhythm, enunciation, and skill. It was like everyone said. He was good at this too. Jimin could only chuckle.

There was no way he could win.

When he was done and Namjoon was well into his own set, Jimin turned to Taehyung and whispered that he was going to go look for Ryu Won. When he got acknowledgment that Taehyung heard him, he stopped by his table to gulp down a quick drink and then went to the bathroom he had seen Ryu Won disappear into.

He wasn't in there.

Jimin furrowed his brow in confusion before going to a stall and taking care of his own business – alcohol just ran right through him – and then he moved to the sinks where he washed his hands and did a quick checkover of himself in the mirrors. Yep. Still handsome.

He left the bathroom and smiled when he saw Ryu Won back at their table with his head bowed and resting on his fist which was propped by his elbow on the table. It was clear that he was dropping into a nap. He must be tired and jetlagged after all of the traveling.

Jimin didn't have any sympathy though. Right now, he needed all the distraction he could get so his handsome boyfriend was just going to have to deal with it and put in a little more work. The work that was delegated to a significant other.

He slid into the booth that was still empty besides the two of them and pressed himself against Ryu Won's side. No one was watching – everyone too focused on the show onstage – so he boldly slid his hand between his boyfriend's legs and gripped his upper thigh, as close as he could get to his package without flat-out groping him. He pushed his lips against Ryu Won's ear and whispered, “You wanna get out of here?”

The next sequence of events happened in quick succession but Jimin felt as if they were stretched out frame-by-frame by the Gods of Tragedy in a Comedy of Errors.

The first thing that took hold in his brain was that the thigh he touched was much more muscular than he remembered his boyfriend's being.

Then he felt the man next to him shudder and jolt around quickly, his fist coming into contact with the bridge of Jimin's nose in his haste. “What?” the man shrieked.

And before Jimin could even focus his eyes back onto the man and blink past the tears that had automatically welled up in his eyes due to the sudden pain in his nose, he _knew_ who the voice belonged to. That little big-eyed... _ugh_! Cutie!

“Jimin?!” Jungkook shouted, bewildered.

And as Jimin blinked through the pain, he wondered vaguely why Jungkook was the one acting surprised when _he_ was the one who was sitting in his booth and wearing a shirt similar to his boyfriend's and coming to his favorite hangout spots!

“Jungkook!” Jimin whined, folding over and still gripping his nose in pain. “You're so annoying!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol. Jimin finding it almost impossible to be angry at Jungkook is a fun concept.
> 
> Follow me and contact me on Tumblr in order to commission me: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/
> 
> $10 per chapter/one-shot  
> $1 per page
> 
> And please leave a comment. I love reading them and discussing the story with you guys. :)


	8. Baby Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! I meant to have this finished and updated sooner, but I got it done! Anon, I hope you like it! :D

Chapter Eight: Baby Steps

“I'm sorry!” Jungkook said in slight panic, his eyes wide. “Are you okay?” He gently pulled at Jimin's hands, trying to remove them from his face so that he could see if he did any kind of damage.

“I'm fine,” Jimin said, his voice muffled behind his hands. He removed them so that Jungkook would stop pulling at his wrists.

“Let me see,” Jungkook whispered, leaning in to see better. It took some squinting since the lighting in the lounge was similar to that of a light dusk. Jimin allowed the younger man to examine him for only a second before he turned away.

“I'm fine,” he said again. And he was. The pain had been fleeting and he hadn't been hit hard enough to draw blood. “It mostly just shocked me,” he continued. “What are you doing here?”

“Yoongi-hyung and I came to meet up with Namjoon,” Jungkook said. “We're going to get street food after this.”

Jimin felt a twinge of displeasure at the fact that Yoongi and Namjoon were monopolizing _his_ dongsaeng's time before he remembered that his and Jungkook's hyung/dongsaeng relationship was officially on hold and he didn't care what the younger man did or who he spent his time with.

“Do you want to come with us?” Jungkook asked.

Jimin looked around the room, wondering where Ryu Won had disappeared to. He decided he would much rather spend his time cuddling up with his boyfriend at home...if only he could find him. He glanced back towards the small crowd that was still standing in front of the stage as Namjoon continued with his set. Taehyung was still amongst the excited people, swaying with his...girlfriend?...in his arms.

Jungkook's question of whether Jimin wanted to join him and their two coworkers for a night out made him remember what had transpired before he had accidentally hit Jimin's nose. Jimin had...felt him up. A shiver ran through his body as he recalled the feeling of Jimin's hand and just how close he had been to his private parts. And the way his lips had brushed against his ear as he whispered, ' _Do you wanna get out of here?_ '

A strange feeling shot through Jungkook's stomach.

He threw surreptitious glances in Jimin's direction, his eyes wide. The older man hadn't responded to his question, too busy looking around the room. He decided to risk asking another one.

“Hyung...”

“Mm.” His eyes were still scanning the room.

“What was earlier about?”

Jimin's focus finally landed fully on him once again. For a moment, his eyes held a question, not knowing what Jungkook was referring to. Then his eyes cleared with realization and then a flash of wariness. “I thought you were someone else,” Jimin said.

“...Who?”

Jimin tilted his head and stared at Jungkook, seemingly pondering something. It went against all of his desire and being to downplay or deny his relationship with Ryu Won or his sexuality. After all of the troubles and doubts he had gone through before coming out, he never wanted to be in that place again – to have this internal battle. The one he was having right now. About how much of himself he should show to someone.

But he had to take his status into account. Being an idol, he tended to just keep his romantic life private. He never mentioned it unless asked and then he just gave the generic responses – _I'm too busy to date_ ; _I was in a relationship pre-debut but broke up_ ; _I don't love anyone but my fans._ He just stayed mum otherwise. Only those closest to him – Taehyung, a dancing friend Hoseok, and his family – knew about his sexuality due to him keeping it close to his chest. It had been a while since he had been faced with the uncertainty of just exactly what to say for himself.

Because it looked like he would be working very closely with Jungkook for a few years now – more closely than he had ever worked with anyone before.

Out of curiosity or maybe in a reckless act of self-destruction, Jimin decided what he would do. He pulled a napkin toward himself, gestured for a nearby server to give him a pen, and then he scribbled something on the white, flimsy piece of paper before sliding it over to Jungkook.

He read it with a confused expression. In neat handwriting, 'Non-disclosure Agreement' was written and there was a line underneath it. He looked up at Jimin, confused.

“Sign it,” Jimin said.

Jungkook was still confused, but he scribbled his signature on the napkin as Jimin instructed.

Jimin took it back and pocketed it. “Thank you,” he said before he met Jungkook's eyes again and responded to his question. “I thought you were my boyfriend. I'm gay.”

Jungkook's mouth fell open into a long 'o'. It was almost comical for Jimin. He had to press his lips together to stifle down a laugh. He had known Jungkook had been a bit sheltered in his hometown but from the way the younger man was looking at him now, it was like he was the first gay man the kid had ever seen up close before.

Maybe he was. At least to his knowledge.

Jimin reached forward to gently tap his chin to get him to close his mouth. Jungkook jerked back at the touch.

And Jimin's amusement died.

Jungkook immediately regretted his action, knowing he had made a mistake. He watched the smirk that had come onto Jimin's face drop into a frown and the other man immediately pulled away and faced the front, crossing his arms over his chest. His lips were drawn into a tight line. And the already-erected imaginary wall grew thicker between them.

Before Jungkook had time to arrange his thoughts and get his mouth to work properly, Jimin's handsome friend re-joined them at the table along with the girl he was with. He felt relief fall on his shoulders to have a buffer. Until he realized he didn't know the man that had just joined them. He clammed up.

“Taehyung, do you know where Ryu Won went?” Jimin asked, his voice holding a sharpness that hadn't been there before.

“I don't know; I haven't seen him,” Taehyung responded.

Jungkook assumed Ryu Won was the name of the aforementioned boyfriend. He blinked, still trying to wrap his mind around it. The person who's texts always made Jimin smile so wide and who he always spoke suggestively to was a man. His boyfriend. When he had thought it was a woman all along.

He sneaked a glance over to Jimin. 'He doesn't even look gay,' he thought, images of feminine-acting men coming to mind. Sure, Jimin could be a bit delicate and androgynous but – for the most part – he seemed manly.

As he thought over these things, he didn't realize his glance had turned into a full-on stare – even a full-body scan – as he tried to discern the parts of Park Jimin that he had missed. The different parts.

When his eyes moved back up to Jimin's face, he realized the older man was staring right back at him. And Jungkook had heard the saying, “If looks could kill...” before but he had never been on the receiving end of any such look. He thought it had been just a saying. Until now.

“That's too bad,” Jimin said in response to Taehyung's answer. He was still looking at Jungkook who had turned away quickly with a flushing face. “Because I'm so horny that I'd probably let him bend me over this table and fuck me in the ass. Hard.”

If Jungkook thought his face was red before, it was now in flames. He squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable. Which he was pretty sure was Jimin's intention because Jimin's friend looked just as shocked as he was to have heard Jimin say that at this moment.

“Umm...Didn't need to know that, but okay...” Taehyung said. He glanced over to his girlfriend, who was dancing in her seat to music that was now coming softly out of the speakers since the live acts were done for the night. “And, hey! Don't talk like that in front of my girlfriend.”

Jungkook was granted relief from Jimin's hard stare for a second when he turned it on Taehyung. “She doesn't even understand what I'm saying!”

“So?”

Taehyung glared and covered his girlfriend's ears. She turned to him with a confused but happy expression on her face. “What?” she asked.

Jimin rolled his eyes and shook his head when Taehyung's attention became fully fixated on her once again.

Jungkook knew he probably should have kept quiet. He didn't want to keep digging himself a grave with Jimin, but a floodgate of curiosity had opened up within him. “Doesn't it hurt?” he found himself asking. He continued to blush to his roots.

Jimin met him with a cold stare. “What?”

“You know. Getting...” Jungkook gestured towards Jimin, the table, Jimin again. He couldn't make himself repeat what Jimin had said. His tongue played against his bottom lip nervously. “...What you said.”

“What?” Jimin said again, not making it easy for Jungkook. “Getting fucked in the ass?”

Jungkook scratched the back of his head and glanced around to make sure no one had heard them. He didn't know who would. No one was even paying attention to them.

Jimin ignored Taehyung placing his hands over his girlfriend's ears again.

When Jungkook was assured no one was looking their way, he nodded.

Jimin scoffed. “Only if someone doesn't know what they're doing.”

Jungkook's brows furrowed with curiosity. “So it feels good otherwise?”

Jimin stared at Jungkook, still fuming with anger. He wasn't really in the mood to teach sex education to someone who obviously found him disgusting.

Jimin's lack of answer didn't deter Jungkook. “How?”

Irritated, Jimin took in a deep breath and temporarily hid his anger beneath a simpering smile. He slid closer to Jungkook until their thighs were touching. He felt the younger man immediately freeze up and stop breathing. His eyes were in their natural state. Wide. He allowed his eyes to travel down to Jungkook's pink lips, which were pressed together with tension, and found himself reluctantly appreciating the shape of them. They were a perfect little cupid's bow. He leaned in, his goal being to make Jungkook as uncomfortable as possible.

If the kid was going to go into crisis over the simple fact that he existed, so be it. It wasn't his problem. He could maybe even use this to his advantage. Maybe if he caused the younger man to have a panic attack, he wouldn't want to work with him anymore. Which would be a golden result in Jimin's book.

“You're awfully curious about gay sex for a straight guy,” Jimin teased, making sure to keep his gaze and voice sultry. He watched Jungkook's Adam's apple visibly move up and down as he swallowed before bringing his eyes back up to the younger man's own gaze. “Instead of answering all these questions, I could show you how it works instead.”

Jungkook literally gasped and Jimin's brows rose in surprise. Mostly at his own reaction. Because once again, he found amusement bubbling up in his chest. Even ignorance looked cute on Jungkook. How was that even possible? At this point, he was starting to consider _himself_ an idiot. No one wanted to find homophobia cute.

But...as Jungkook gulped again and watched him as if he was watching a horror movie play out right in front of his eyes, Jimin realized this might be pretty fun. Tormenting his idiot partner until he learned to get used to him, fight him, or get out of his life forever.

Any of those options were fine with him.

* * *

Jimin paced back and forth on the sidewalk outside of the lounge. The establishment was located on a relatively quiet street. Only a few other businesses surrounded it – a convenience store, a chicken shop, and a karaoke bar – so there weren't many people wandering the streets. Which was a relief to Jimin because he could fume in peace.

His cell phone was pressed to his ear, and he had to keep from groaning in frustration as he talked to his boyfriend. “So you just left?” he asked.

The response he got didn't please him.

After Yoongi and Namjoon had gotten to the booth along with Jimin, Jungkook, and Taehyung (and his...girlfriend?) but there was still no sign of Ryu Won, Jimin had come outside to call him. Only to hear that his boyfriend had realized he was tired so he decided to duck out without ruining the night for Jimin.

Jimin was livid.

What kind of boyfriend just left without a word? Especially on one of the rare nights that they get to spend together.

“Okay,” he said, cutting off whatever his boyfriend was saying on the other line. He wasn't in the mood to hear it. First Jungkook, now this. He was having the worst night. “You obviously don't want to be here so whatever.” He hung up. There was nothing left to say.

He felt it was the truth. If Ryu Won wanted to be here with him, he would be. The fact that he wasn't just proved that he wasn't as much of a priority in the other man's life as he wanted to be.

He walked back into the lounge. He needed to drink.

* * *

Jimin trailed behind the others as they walked through the streets. He was enjoying the light spring breeze that blew against his heated cheeks. Cheeks that were heated from alcohol. He had indulged in a few shots after returning to the lounge. His muscles were loose and relaxed – more than they had been earlier – so the alcohol had helped there, but now he was just sad. A melancholy feeling laid on his bones like an extra layer of skin.

He crossed his arms across his chest and trudged along, casting a glance at Taehyung. Usually, he would go to his friend for some kind of physical comfort like a hug, walking shoulder-to-shoulder, or holding hands – but his friend was kind of busy with his...girl-? whatever...he didn't know what they were to each other.

In his long-sleeved, v-neck, white shirt and tight black jeans, he began to feel that the breeze that seemed comforting before actually had a little bite to it. He shivered, a frown on his face.

Suddenly, he was stopped in his tracks when something blocked his path.

An arm. With a hoodie dangling from a fist. Jungkook's arm.

He looked up to meet the younger man's eyes. “What's this?”

“A hoodie,” Jungkook answered.

Jimin held back a roll of his eyes, knowing he should have expected that.

“I know. I'm not an idiot,” he said. “You're giving it to me?”

Jungkook nodded.

“Why?” Jimin asked, not reaching forward to take the hoodie.

“Because you look a little cold...” Jungkook said.

“Are you not afraid my gay is going to rub off on you?” he asked, taking the hoodie. He wondered where the chill was coming from; the weather was nice.

“That can happen?” Jungkook asked. Jimin froze in his movements before Jungkook laughed, a wide smile cutting across his face and his eyes crinkling. “I'm just kidding.”

Jimin sighed, hating that he found that funny. Managing to keep a straight face, he pulled the hoodie over his head and stated matter-of-factly, “You think you're cute.”

“No,” Jungkook said, as they began to walk again. And Jimin thought he was done being a brat for the night until he finished his thought. “I _know_ I'm cute.”

Jimin couldn't help but to hit him. He deserved it. But the blow against the younger man's bicep only had Jungkook laughing again and Jimin really taking note of how built the younger man truly was. His muscles were really hard.

“You never answered my question,” Jimin found himself saying.

“What question?” Jungkook asked. They had lost the rest of their group somewhere up ahead, but he found that he was content just sharing company with Jimin for a little while longer. This was the first time they were talking again since they found out he would be debuting with the older man, and he was getting hopeful that Jimin wasn't completely shutting him down. Even after all of the mistakes he had made tonight. Maybe they could go back to being friends.

“Do you want me to show you what gay sex is like?” Jimin asked boldly. And maybe he was more serious than he would like to admit. Maybe his head was spinning with alcohol and he was hurt and he was sad and he was willing to make some mistakes.

He felt Jungkook's body tense beside him.

Jungkook didn't know how to respond to that so he simply said, “...No.”

Jimin gave an exaggerated and resigned sigh. “Fine,” he said. “But you're missing out.”

Within his sadness, the older man got a slice of satisfaction from watching a blush rise on the younger man's cheeks. Trying to hold onto that sliver of warmth, he made another bold request. “Can I hold your hand?”

Jungkook began to fidget. He clasped his hands and unclasped his hands before scratching the back of his head. Jimin hurried his steps so that he could catch of glimpse of Jungkook's terrified expression. As expected, he got a sick thrill from seeing it. “Uhh...” Jungkook said. “Why?”

Jimin sighed again and grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. “Don't worry,” he said sarcastically. “This isn't how gay sex works. You'll be fine.”

In spite of himself, Jungkook laughed at Jimin's joke. “I know. I'm not an idiot,” he said, repeating Jimin's words back to him.

“Mmm...” Jimin said. “That's up for debate.”

* * *

The five boys and...

“Hey,” Jimin said, turning to the girl nuzzling noses with Taehyung next to the swing set. “What's your name?”

She looked back at him questioningly.

“Name?” Jimin tried again in English.

“Oh,” she said, understanding settling on her face. “Rachael.”

Jimin nodded.

The five boys and Rachael all stood around a deserted park, ice cream cones in their hands.

“You know, when you two called me out for street food, I didn't know ice cream was what you meant. I feel like I'm in elementary school again,” Namjoon said. He turned to Yoongi. “What's happened to you?”

Yoongi nodded towards Jungkook, who was happily crunching at the cone of his snack. “Blame him,” the stoic-faced man said. “He's bringing down our street cred.”

Jungkook didn't even look bothered at the accusation. He just continued to munch on his ice cream.

Jimin truly, truly hated him.

Yoongi nodded towards them again except, this time, his focus was on Jimin and Jungkook's hands – still intertwined. “Are you two going steady?” he asked. “What's going on here?”

Jungkook stiffened and tried to pull his hand from Jimin's, but Jimin didn't let him go. Yet he scoffed in response to the question. “This kid doesn't even know how to have sex,” he said unabashedly. “I wouldn't go steady with him.”

Jungkook gawked and that embarrassed flush rose on his face again. Once again, Jimin was satisfied with himself. He could do this all day.

Namjoon looked at Jungkook in surprise. “Really?” he asked the younger man. “Are you a virgin, Jungkook?”

“No!” Jungkook protested. He tried to wrestle his hand from Jimin's grip again but Jimin continued to hold fast. Jimin knew how embarrassed the younger would be to be questioned about his sex life by none other than his idol, Kim Namjoon. He fought to keep a devilish smile down.

“It's okay if you are,” Namjoon continued; Yoongi nodded beside him. “I was a virgin until I was twenty-two. If it happens, it happens. It's nothing to stress over.” Yoongi continued to nod.

“I'm not a virgin,” Jungkook whined. He finally managed to extricate his hand from Jimin's.

Jimin didn't let up. “You can't even kiss,” he said. “The first time you kissed your girlfriend, you caused her to bleed.”

Jungkook faced him with eyes that clearly coined him as a traitor. His mouth hung open and he pointed at the older man. “That- That was a long time ago!” he spluttered. Jimin raised his brows, challenging him.

'What?' Jimin mouthed silently, daring him to put up a rebuttal.

Jungkook's face fell into a pout. “You're a bully,” he retorted before stepping over to the side of the swings, away from Jimin.

'Ha, I won that one,' Jimin thought proudly. He regretted that it cost him the warmth of Jungkook's hand...but he wouldn't dwell on that.

“You two are strange,” Yoongi said, looking between them with narrowed eyes. “One minute you're all over each other, the next you're fighting. The first time I saw you two Jimin was all, 'He's my dongsaeng, you two can go suck it'. Then after that, Jimin, you were wanting to quit because Jungkook was debuting with you and just this morning you were torturing him in the studio. But then I come out and see you two holding hands, and now this.” He grabbed his neck dramatically as if he were in pain. “Ah! You two are giving me whiplash.”

“It's a push and pull kind of relationship,” Jimin said, still teasing Jungkook.

“Sounds like you're the only one doing both the pushing _and_ pulling,” Namjoon said. “Jungkookie's right. You're a bully.”

'Jungkookie?' Jimin scowled. He ignored Jungkook shooting him a victorious look at the backup his seniors were providing.

Jimin shrugged. “Whatever,” he muttered.

Eventually, Taehyung suggested they go to Itaewon to have fun. That got immediate support from Namjoon who exclaimed that an Itaewon experience was the kind of experience he had been expecting in the first place.

“We can't just go strolling on the streets of Itaewon,” Jimin said, gesturing between himself and Jungkook. The nightlife of Itaewon was bustling. There was no way he would be able to go there undetected. Not without proper preparation and disguise. And Jungkook could possibly go the night without getting recognized but it was too risky right on the cusp of his debut.

Jimin inwardly scolded himself for already helping to manage the kid's image. As if he had already accepted that they truly were partners.

“Well...” Yoongi said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Sucks for you two. Come on, guys,” he said standing up and gesturing to Namjoon, Taehyung, and Rachael.

Before Jimin had time to be offended, Taehyung hopped forward. “No, wait,” he said. “Sure you can come. Here.” He threw the hood of Jungkook's hoodie over Jimin's head and pulled the drawstrings until only his nose and lips were visible. “And here.” He pulled a black mask from his pocket and hooked it around Jimin's ears. “There. All solved.”

Jimin didn't know what he looked like, but he assumed the sight was ridiculous because he heard laughter coming from all around him. He found himself trying to lift his head to see what Jungkook looked like in the throes of amusement because the loudest laughter was coming from him.

“What about him?” Jimin asked once he got a glimpse of Jungkook's bright smile as he doubled over with mirth.

They ended up forgoing Itaewon in exchange for a less risky stroll down a less busy street where a nightly street market was held. And Jimin found that he enjoyed himself pretty well despite this current hiccup with his boyfriend and his lingering irritation about being forced into a duo.

He realized life goes on and life goes on happily if you only allow it.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin ended the night by sinking down onto the couch in his home with Taehyung, who had surprisingly decided not to spend the night with his...Rachael. They took up each end of the couch.

“So is Rachael your girlfriend?” Jimin asked, finally getting the chance to appease his curiosity.

Taehyung shrugged. “We haven't labeled it,” he said. “We're just going with the flow.” A goofy smile spread across his face. “She's great, isn't she?”

Jimin nodded even though he wasn't really sure. He had barely talked to the girl because, well, he couldn't. But she was making his friend happy, so she couldn't be that bad.

While they were on the subject of significant others, his thoughts went back to Ryu Won.

“Hey,” he said, poking Taehyung with his foot. “Has Ryu Won said anything to you? About me?” The smile slid off of Taehyung's face and Jimin felt a sense of dread. “He has, hasn't he? Does he want to break up?”

“I'm surprised he hasn't talked to you yet,” Taehyung said, avoiding Jimin's eyes. “I feel like this is something you should be talking about with him.”

“Well, he's obviously too much of a coward,” Jimin said, trying to hold back tremors in his body. Tremors caused by a mix of emotions that he couldn't even put a name to yet. “I thought everything was fine. He's been acting like everything is fine.”

Taehyung frowned. “So he just left tonight?”

“Yeah,” Jimin bit out. “So what has he said?” He gripped his - oops, Jungkook's – hoodie in his hands. He didn't realize he still had it on until now. 'Great, now I've stolen someone's clothes on top of everything else,' Jimin thought distantly as he waited for the approaching storm to hit him.

“It's not really what he said; it's what he did,” Taehyung said, still guiltily glancing away from Jimin's eyes every few seconds. When Jimin pushed him further, Taehyung finally got around to what he meant. “When we were in Japan for the magazine photoshoot, I saw him kissing someone else. That's why I asked if you two were exclusive before.”

A stone settled in Jimin's stomach. It was one thing to have suspicions that your relationship wasn't going well; it was another to have it confirmed. He was sure sadness would come. Rage, regret. But for now, he just felt numb.

“When we landed in Italy, I told him that I saw him and I would give him a week to tell you about it after we got back...or I would do it for him,” Taehyung continued. “I'm sorry, Jimin.”

Jimin shook his head. “Not your fault,” he said. He wondered what course of action he should take now that he knew. Robotically, he lifted his phone from his pocket and immediately sent a text to his boyfriend, not giving himself time to think about it further.

' _It's over._ '

* * *

**Jungkook's POV:**

Jungkook stared up at the ceiling of his room, surrounded by darkness, with a small smile on his face. He was happy with the way things had played out tonight. He had solidified a bond with Yoongi and Namjoon – someone he had looked up to for many years now – and he had even possibly made a new friend in the form of Taehyung.

And things hadn't gone so bad with Jimin either. Besides the moments when the older man decided to torment him.

He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and began to worry it, thinking about what the other man had told him tonight. He was gay. Jungkook hadn't seen that coming at all. He very quickly realized that it didn't change the way he felt about the other man in regards to wanting to grow a closer friendship with him, but he had to admit that it did change...something. He just wasn't quite sure what that was yet.

He pulled out his cell phone and pulled up the text messaging box connected to Jimin's name. The last few texts reminding him that their budding friendship had faltered in the last few days because his outgoing texts still hung there, suspended in cyberspace, with no response. He continued to chew on his lip, considering, until he gathered the courage to go ahead and send another text.

' _I had fun tonight,_ ' he texted before hitting send.

He then quickly turned off his screen and dropped his phone on his mattress, simultaneously regretting everything and cheering himself on for sending that text. He told himself it wouldn't bother him if Jimin didn't respond again, but he knew it would.

A few minutes of silence passed in which Jungkook tried to close his eyes and fall asleep, but it just wasn't working. Then his phone vibrated. He grabbed it quickly and his heart jumped when he saw that it was, indeed, a responding text from Jimin. He opened it and a smile spread across his face.

' _Yeah_ ,' it read. ' _It was fun. Shouldn't you be asleep?_ '

A question. It ended with a question. That meant the conversation could continue.

Jungkook flipped over onto his stomach and typed a response. ' _I'm thinking about staying up all night. There's only a few hours left until I have to get up anyway._ '

A reply came soon after. ' _Don't. Get as much sleep as you can because once we start promoting, you'll wish for it._ '

Jungkook's smile grew wider, his eyes fixating on 'we'.

Another message came in. ' _I still have your hoodie by the way._ '

Jungkook thought back to how his hoodie had swallowed up the shorter man. It had been cute. ' _You can keep it,_ ' he sent back.

The dots indicating that a message was being typed appeared at the bottom of Jungkook's phone screen. Then they disappeared. And reappeared. A message came. ' _I don't want it_.'

Jungkook pouted. He thought about how to respond to that before texting back. ' _I don't want it either._ '

A few seconds passed. ' _Then I'll just throw it away_.'

Jungkook pouted harder. 'Why would you throw away a perfectly good hoodie?' he thought to himself. But he typed. ' _Okay, hyung, do whatever you want to do_.'

A few seconds. Then another text arrived.

' _You're annoying_.'

The pout was ingrained on Jungkook's face.

' _Goodnight, hyung_ ,' he texted, assuming that that was the end of their conversation.

The response he received: ' _Go to sleep._ '

Jungkook tossed his phone aside. 'Well,' he thought. 'At least he texted back this time.'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things went pretty okay during this chapter but I do warn you guys...Jungkook is going to be problematic in the following chapters. Not out of spite. But he'll be problematic nonetheless.
> 
> Jimin will continue to handle him pretty well though...by being unabashedly gay. Lmao.
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/
> 
> And commission me:  
> $10 per chapter/one-shot  
> $1 per page
> 
> :) Thanks, anon - as always, for your support.


	9. Cuddles are Mandatory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing is tiring you guys. But I love it.  
> Here's chapter nine. :D
> 
> I don't think I indicated in the fic when switch POV begins to happen. But that does begin to happen about halfway through the update. Just a little heads up.

**Jimin's POV:**

' _You're not even going to talk to me?_ '

He read over the text from Ryu Won for the fifth time that day and got upset all over again. Without responding, he tucked the phone into his pocket and focused back in on the work in front of him.

Dressed in a beanie, shades, a long-sleeved shirt, and jeans, he sat on a couch in the recording studio as Jungkook recorded segments of songs he had worked hard to write. And he hated to admit that the younger man sounded good singing them. He cursed inwardly as Jungkook easily hit one of the notes that he had struggled with.

“Good,” Yoongi coached through the mic leading to the booth. “That was perfect.”

Jimin scowled at the word 'perfect'. “It was _okay_ ,” he muttered bitterly beneath his breath.

Jungkook continued with his recording for about forty-five minutes more before they wrapped up.

“Let's take a break before we start with you, Jimin,” Yoongi said, already getting up to leave the room before Jimin consented to or rejected his suggestion.

“All right,” Jimin said as the door was closing. “I guess.”

Jungkook walked to the couch and sat down on the other end. He pulled out his phone to play a few app games to pass the time.

Jimin peered at him. Needing a distraction from all thoughts of Ryu Won, he spoke. “How are things with you and your girlfriend?”

“Good,” Jungkook said with a nod, not looking up from his phone. “They're good. I went to visit her a couple of weeks ago. We had fun.”

Jimin felt bitterness rise in his chest. Here was a kid that just had things coming easily to him. His relationship was going well. He was about to debut, building on someone else's already-established success. He was even unfairly attractive even though his personality wasn't that great. What did he have that Jimin didn't? Why did the universe love the other man and not him?

“Do you think you love her?” he asked, continuing his line of questioning.

Jungkook looked up at the strange question. “I _know_ I love her,” he corrected.

Jimin let out a sound of skepticism. “You're still young and naive,” he said. “There's no such thing as love. At least not the kind found in romantic movies or books.”

Jungkook's focus remained on Jimin. He pursed his lips as if deep in thought and then he spoke again. “I didn't say it was movie or book love.”

“Then what kind of love is it?” Jimin asked, unconsciously being pulled into a conversation he started simply to bait himself out of tumultuous thoughts.

“Real love,” Jungkook answered, as if it was the simplest concept. “The kind of love where we're not always happy with each other but both of us know it's just temporary and it's not gonna break whatever we have together. The kind of love where we're not constantly consumed by the other person like books describe but there is always a small space reserved in the back of our mind for the other and when that person is pulled to the forefront, we smile. The kind of love that reassures us because we know there's someone always in our corner.” Jungkook smiled gently, his gaze not focused on anything currently in the room.

He snapped out of it and nodded, focusing back in on Jimin. “That kind of love.”

The bitterness grew in Jimin's chest. Only because he was so jealous. And he knew he was jealous and he hated it.

To think he wanted what Jungkook had. Why should he? The kid was younger, dorkier, and pretty stupid...so why did he feel like this? Why did he wonder if anyone had ever talked about him like Jungkook had just talked about what he had with his girlfriend? Why did he wonder when he knew the answer?

_Probably not._

He had definitely never felt that way about anyone before.

“You sound like an old man who's been married for sixty years,” Jimin snarked. Just because he had nothing better to say.

He frowned with disappointment when Jungkook only shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his phone.

'Life sucks,' he thought.

He got up with heavy bones to record his segments of the song when Yoongi came back into the room.

* * *

It was decided that BigHit Entertainment would make a statement revealing that Jungkook would be the trainee debuting with Park Jimin at twelve A.M. a few nights later. To say Jeon Jungkook was nervous would be an understatement.

“Why are you following me?” Jimin asked the taller man who was practically glued to his ass as they left the company building after yet another long day of recording.

Jimin was dead on his feet. His eyes were red and puffy from no sleep and his hair was a wild mess under the hood of Jungkook's hoodie he would have realized he was wearing directly in front of the other man even though he claimed he had thrown it away if he hadn't been so tired.

The reason he was tired was because his thoughts kept straying back to a loser ex-boyfriend who hadn't even tried to reach out to him again after that stupid text: “ _You're not even going to talk to me?_ ”

He obviously didn't care that much if that was going to be his only attempt to reach him.

“Umm...” Jungkook said, his eyes searching around for neither of them knew what. “Wanna go get drinks?”

Jimin immediately began to shake his head. “Not tonight,” he said. “Maybe some other time.” He just wanted to go back home, snuggle under his sheets, and pet Mina.

Jungkook's face fell in disappointment. “Oh...”

Jimin hovered, wanting to walk away and start on his plans to wallow but Jungkook's stupid downcast face was stopping him. “What?” he asked, unable to help himself.

Jungkook shrugged. “I just...” He scratched the back of his hand, wondering if it was embarrassing to admit his fears. He decided it wasn't. Not embarrassing enough to overpower his anxiety anyway. “I'm nervous about tonight.”

Jimin blinked. “What's tonight?”

Surprised that what Jungkook was worrying about wasn't even on Jimin's mind, Jungkook's mouth fell open before he responded. “The announcement.”

“Ohh,” Jimin said. He had truly forgotten, his mind preoccupied with other things.

“I'm surprised you forgot,” Jungkook said, voicing his thoughts.

“I guess I was hoping all of this was a nightmare I'd eventually wake up from,” Jimin griped.

“Oh yeah,” Jungkook muttered, reminded that Jimin never wanted this in the first place. He had almost forgotten since Jimin had been mostly civil to him in the past few days.

“What are you nervous about?” Jimin asked.

“What if they don't like me?”

Jungkook didn't have to elaborate for Jimin to understand what he meant. He knew the 'they' Jungkook was referring to was every member of the general public of Korea who listened to kpop, everyone who was already a fan of Jimin, and every international person that logged onto YouTube and other online platforms to eject their opinions out into the universe.

Jimin shifted on his feet, unsure what to say. He knew what he was _thinking_. He was thinking that the kid didn't have anything to worry about because who could dislike someone as cute as Jungkook? But he wasn't about to say that. Because he still resented the brat.

Instead, he just shrugged and said, “You can't expect everyone to like you.”

Which was true. But Jimin knew it wasn't the reassurance Jungkook was looking for right now.

The younger man nodded with a small pout on his face and murmured, “That's true.”

The conversation was apparently over, but neither man moved. Jungkook didn't move because he was looking for something further to ease his nerves and Jimin didn't move because Jungkook looked like a lost puppy. And Jimin had a weak spot for puppies – lost or not. But especially lost.

He smothered a groan, already regretting what he was about to suggest but speaking anyway. “I'm going to fall asleep the minute I get home but you can come if you want. Just know that cuddles are mandatory.”

He hoped that last sentence would deter Jungkook from taking advantage of his niceties, but his hopes were dashed when a smile began to spread across the younger man's face. “I don't know about cuddles,” he said, falling into step beside Jimin – who had already begun walking once he had resigned himself to the fact that Jungkook's smile meant he was tagging along. “But I can definitely keep you company.”

Jimin held back a scoff when he realized the taller man had turned the situation around as if _he_ was the one asking for company tonight. But he let it slide. 'Whatever,' he thought. 'He's the one entering my homosexual den of sin.'

Never losing a moment to tilt the axis of Jungkook's straight-laced, boring, heterosexual world, Jimin slid his hand into Jungkook's – intertwining their fingers. “Cuddles _will_ happen,” he stated firmly. “Or you can just head home right now.”

Jungkook was silent, frowning and obviously defiant of the dreaded “cuddles”, but he kept walking alongside Jimin and kept the older man's grip within his own.

* * *

Jungkook was awed by Jimin's residence from the moment they were greeted by security at the front gate to the moment they stepped into the complex and elegant high-rise apartment building making their way up to one of the top floors where Jimin's apartment took up the whole level. They moved from the elevator to Jimin's door and when they went inside, Jungkook made sure to follow Jimin's lead in taking his shoes off right next to the front door.

The interior was modern and pristine. Very orderly. Orderly to the point where Jungkook was sure the other man must have a cleaner coming in regularly to help him maintain the aesthetic. Plush, white, carpet covered the living room floor and Jungkook had to keep himself from sighing as he walked across it. Even with his socks on, he could feel from the give how soft it was. He was sure that he could sleep on the floor with no bedding and be completely comfortable with carpet like this.

He was only able to glimpse the kitchen because Jimin was just leading him on a pre-determined, one track path. Jungkook assumed that path was to his bedroom. The other man must not have been kidding when he talked about how tired he was.

When they entered Jimin's bedroom, Jungkook rotated his neck in every direction to see all sides of it.

A large king-sized bed sat directly in the middle of the room, headboard against the back wall. The comforter set that adorned it was a decorative but simple beige and dark brown combination. A large entertainment center with an almost-as-large flat screen TV sat directly across from it against the parallel wall that the bed sat against. The open shelves of the entertainment center held stacks of DVDs – all in alphabetical order – games to various gaming systems and books. Jungkook assumed the actual gaming systems were located in the large cabinet-like section of the entertainment center. He couldn't tell because the door was closed.

A low table sat between the entertainment center and bed. On top of it was a book, laptop, and mug that read: “Most handsome”. Jungkook smiled. He could just imagine Jimin sitting there in the morning sipping on coffee from that mug and trying to read as many paragraphs of a book as he could before his schedule started for the day.

Speaking of Jimin, he had disappeared the moment they entered the room. Jungkook looked around to see him standing inside of a large closet, the sliding door open so that Jungkook could see inside. His mouth dropped open. The closet looked like the inside of a department store. Clothing – branded and non-branded – hung organized between casual, evening wear, and apparently...sleepwear. The sleepwear area is what Jimin currently stood in front of.

He looked at Jungkook and waved him over.

Jungkook went to Jimin, not quite sure why he was being beckoned until something was being pushed against his chest. A rabbit onesie complete with tail and bunny ears attached to a hood. Jungkook's eyes widened in horror. 'Don't tell me...' He was trying to put him in this?!

“I can sleep in what I have on,” Jungkook said quickly.

“What are you, a heathen?” Jimin asked, still appraising his pick against Jungkook's body.

“I don't want to trouble you,” Jungkook said desperately.

“It's no trouble.”

Not seeming to get anywhere through polite rebuttals, Jungkook finally just gave in and pleaded, “Please don't make me wear this.”

Jimin's eyes came up to meet his, an amused look in his gaze. And if Jungkook hadn't been sure of the devil's existence before, he was sure of it now. And he was also sure that the devil presented himself in the form of a five-foot-eight kpop star named Park Jimin. A smirk pulled at the older man's lips and he stated with no empathy, “It's my house.”

Jungkook frowned, looking every bit like a kicked puppy. And that was worse than a lost one.

Jimin sighed in exasperation. “Fine!” he relented, putting the onesie back. “You're such a baby.” He pulled out a plain white t-shirt and stylish black sweatpants. “Here,” he intoned, handing the clothing over to Jungkook.

Jungkook was happy with the styling change. He took it with a smile, his two front teeth which were slightly larger than the rest peeked over his bottom lip.

Jimin narrowed his eyes, certain that the first option he had chosen was a more fitting pick.

He told Jungkook to use one of the two bathrooms in his apartment to wash up while he used the other. He was surprised when he entered into his room twenty minutes later to find that the other boy wasn't out yet. He climbed into bed with a book in his lap to keep him occupied while he waited for the other man to re-emerge. It was a full twenty more minutes later when he wandered in.

Jimin looked up to see him wearing his designated sleep attire with a cloth head band on, pushing his hair back and away from his face. He held a container of skin cream in his right hand. “Can I use some of this?” he asked. “I left all of my stuff at home.”

Jimin stood up and took the cream, gesturing the younger man to sit on the side of the bed. “Do you know how much this cost?” he asked as he uncapped the container and Jungkook lifted his face up and closed his eyes, waiting for the application. The younger man shook his head. “224,372 won,” Jimin answered.

Jungkook's eyes popped open and he ducked away from Jimin's hand, which was coming toward his face with a dollop of the cream on his middle finger. “You're not gonna charge me if I use this, are you?” the younger man asked with wide eyes.

Jimin couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his lips. “No, you idiot,” he said, touching the cream onto Jungkook's forehead. “I was just telling you because there's a certain way you apply this kind unlike the cheaper creams. You don't have to use as much.” He touched a few more dots of the cream onto Jungkook's face and then took a dollop more onto his fingers before gently rubbing his hands together and rubbing the skin cream onto Jungkook's face in a circular motion.

It was cooling and refreshing against Jungkook's face. He closed his eyes again and sighed as Jimin's fingers gently kneaded his skin. It felt good.

Jimin took advantage of the younger man's closed eyes to really appreciate how handsome he was. Strong jawline, large eyes, sharp nose, cute lips. 'If he wasn't my dongsaeng slash bane to my existence, I'd be attracted to him,' Jimin found himself thinking as he unconsciously gave the man below him a little temple massage before he moved on from rubbing the cream across his forehead.. He didn't even have time to let the shock of that thought sink in before he became distracted by a moan. Jungkook's moan.

He froze.

The sound was a low, deep hum in the back of Jungkook's throat.

He didn't like that.

He kneaded his thumbs gently yet firmly against Jungkook's temples again.

“Mmm, hyung. That feels so good.”

The very bottom of Jimin's stomach fell out and dropped straight to his crotch.

Nope. He didn't like that at all.

He stepped away, abruptly ending the short-lived spa treatment.

“There you go,” he said. “Finished.” He went over to his dresser and re-capped the skin cream, putting much more focus on the task than was needed.

“Hyung.”

'God, can he stop calling me that?'

The minute Jimin thought it, he knew he was being ridiculous since he was the one who had asked him to call him that in the first place. So he didn't voice his request. “What?”

“Do you have face masks? I tend to break out easily so I like to hydrate my face before sleeping.”

Jimin looked over his shoulder with an amused smirk on his face to see that Jungkook was looking at him wide-eyed and deeply serious. He chuckled. “God, you're gayer than I am.” He relished in the deep red that flooded the boy's face before he went to locate some face masks. He came back in record time with face masks which promised to “make you feel refreshed for up to 48 hours”.

“Here,” he said, handing one to Jungkook. “Hurry up and use that then come to bed. I need to go to sleep soon.”

“You can go ahead and go to sleep, hyung.”

'Does it have to be the beginning and end of every sentence though?' Jimin thought, still flustered by the way the moniker sounded coming out of Jungkook's mouth.

“Nope,” Jimin said. “Don't think you can get out of cuddling that easily.”

It was easily readable from Jungkook's face that his hopes had been dashed. “I also have to FaceTime my girlfriend tonight.” He gave one more try.

“That's okay,” Jimin said, nudging Jungkook off the bed and climbing back in with his book. “I haven't even finished this chapter yet. Go take my cream back to the bathroom.”

Jungkook took the cream as instructed and trudged away. He ended up applying the face mask while he Facetimed on Jimin's computer. Jimin tried not to listen in but his eyes were drooping and he needed something to keep him awake so he allowed his ears to tune into most of the conversation. If Jungkook didn't want him to eavesdrop, he should have gone to his own house.

So while pretending to still read his book, he listened to Seon Woo catching Jungkook up on what was happening in his hometown in Busan. It made Jimin realize that he had his own checking in to do. He hadn't talked to his family in about...two months now. He was shocked when he realized that. A pang cut across his heart to think about how easy it was becoming to go longer and longer without hearing from his family. It used to pain him to go even a day without hearing from them. But he had been independent for a while now.

Jungkook then told Seon Woo – with difficulty since the face mask was keeping him from speaking properly - to keep an eye out for news about him that night. He must not have told her that he would be debuting yet. Or that he would be debuting with Park Jimin. Jimin smiled when he remembered how much of a fan Jungkook's girlfriend was of him. She would freak out. He looked at the time on the digital clock. 10:30 p.m. An hour and a half more until the online announcement.

“Hey,” his girlfriend suddenly asked. “Where are you?”

“I don't want to tell you,” Jungkook mumbled, his lips still somewhat stilled by the face mask.

“Why not?”

“You'll freak out?”

“Why? Are you cheating on me?”

“No.”

“Then why?” A smile was in her voice. When Jungkook didn't answer, she spoke again. “I think I know. I think I recognize that bed.”

Jimin's face morphed in shock. 'What?!'

“You recognize the bed?!” Jungkook asked. He looked at the image projected in FaceTime. Due to the height of the coffee table, only the bottoms of Jimin's comforter set could be seen. “Where do you think I am?” He had to test and see if his girlfriend was really as crazy as she seemed right now.

“Mmm...Park Jimin's house?” she guessed.

Jungkook's mouth fell open, forgetting the face mask.

“What?” Jimin said, appalled as he got up from his bed. “Is your girlfriend a sasaeng?” he asked, completely discarding any degree of stealth he may have had while listening in. He sat down beside Jungkook to also peer at just how much was projected on the FaceTime screen.

“Park Jimin!” Seon Woo squealed as he appeared in the frame. She clapped her hands over her mouth and bounced in her seat. “I'm not a sasaeng,” she said, answering Jimin's question with a grin still splitting her face. “You were on the program ' _I Live Alone_ ' once, remember? I saw your room then.”

“Oh,” Jimin said. That was less creepy. But it was still creepy that she recognized his place from bedsheets alone. “My manager suggested we rent a place to film in but I didn't want to be fake. Now I'm regretting my decision,” he said, only half joking. He wondered how many other fans could now recognize where he lived.

Seon Woo chuckled.

Jungkook took his face mask off since it was now wrinkled in some places. “Sorry my girlfriend is a weirdo,” he apologized.

Jimin turned to him. “No worries.” Under his breath he stated so that only Jungkook could hear, “That's probably why you two are compatible.” He didn't give Jungkook a chance to hit him with the kicked puppy look because he turned back to the screen. “Is it okay if I cuddle your boyfriend tonight, Seon Woo-ah?”

Out of the corner of his eye Jimin saw Jungkook signaling to Seon Woo by shaking his head. Thankfully, his girlfriend ignored him.

“If I let you use my boyfriend for cuddles, will you send me a secret message tomorrow when you guest on ' _Come Together_ '?”

“Sure,” Jimin said at the same time that Jungkook was saying...

“Why are you asking someone who's not your boyfriend to send you secret messages?”

Again, Jungkook went ignored. Seon Woo clapped her hands and squealed.

“I want you to send me a heart,” she said. “But not a finger heart. I want you to draw it. Like this...” She demonstrated by putting her two index fingers together, drawing two slanting arches in the air, and then bringing her index fingers back together.

Jimin nodded with a smile. “Okay.”

“You just pimped me out for an imaginary heart,” Jungkook complained.

Again, he went ignored. “He's all yours, Jimin oppa. Bye!” She waved happily and before Jungkook could protest anymore, the connection was cut.

Jungkook turned to Jimin and was met with the devil once again. “Did you hear that?” the older man asked. “You're all mine.”

Jungkook's stomach flipped.

He didn't like that.

He didn't like that at all.

* * *

Jungkook hated to admit it, but Jimin's cuddle skills were at a full ten out of ten.

The older man was facing him while nestled against his chest, head under his chin, one arm draped over the younger man's waist. He had situated Jungkook to be in a mirroring position, his own arm draped across the other man's waist and his leg crooked between Jimin's own. He hadn't moved since the older man had settled them that way. That had been forty-five minutes ago.

Jimin was breathing deeply, already asleep. He hadn't been kidding when he said he was tired because he had fallen asleep almost immediately after snuggling against Jungkook's chest. The fact that the bedside lamp on his dresser remained on apparently hadn't bothered the other man in the slightest.

Jungkook couldn't go to sleep. He was still nervous about the announcement. Although...again, he hated to admit it...but the cuddling did help ease his anxiety a bit. It helped to know that there would be someone next to him at the time when his whole life would start to change. Because his life would definitely change. He was about to be catapulted into the spotlight and he didn't yet know if it would be a positive or negative experience.

He was currently scrolling through Jimin's Twitter to get some idea of what he could expect once the announcement was made. Because he was one of the top guesses people had made once it had been revealed that Jimin was going to come back onto the scene as a duo so now some of the comments under their pictures together were opinions about that.

“ _I really hope Jungkook is who debuts with him. They look so cute together. I would ship!_ ”

“ _These two seem to get along. I hope they work together._ ”

“ _I won't accept anyone except this cute trainee to be Jimin's partner!_ ”

“ _I think Jimin worked best solo. Who is this newbie trying to ride his coattails?_ ”

Jungkook sighed. Out of all of the positive comments, negative ones like that last one were what stuck in his mind the most.

“Mmm...” Jungkook froze as Jimin made a noise in his sleep and began to move. He didn't move much. He only tilted his head up so that his face was now burrowed against Jungkook's neck instead of against his chest.

Jungkook didn't like that.

He could feel Jimin's soft, pillowy lips and warm breaths against his skin.

He tried to pull away but Jimin immediately followed him. When he tried to pull away again, Jimin's eyes fluttered open. His gaze was unfocused for a second due to the bleariness of sleep but then they zoned in on Jungkook. Jungkook watched as the remembrance of inviting Jungkook back home with him settled in his face.

“Where are you going?” Jimin asked, his voice raspy.

“Nowhere,” Jungkook responded.

“You were trying to get away,” the older man accused.

“I wasn't,” Jungkook denied with a shake of his head. Which was true. He had only been trying to put a bit of distance between them, not get away entirely.

Jimin narrowed his eyes suspiciously but let it die. He inhaled deeply. “What time is it?”

“11:45.”

“That's it? It's only been an hour?” Jungkook nodded. “Oh God. Feels like I've been asleep forever.” He rubbed his face and then settled his arm back around Jungkook's waist. “So the announcement hasn't been made yet, huh?”

“No,” Jungkook said. “I've been up waiting for it.” His body was completely stiff where before he had been lax. There was just something strange about embracing the other man in bed while he was awake as opposed to when he was sleeping.

Jimin propped himself up on the hand that wasn't draped around Jungkook's middle so that he could more easily see the younger man's face. “You've just been lying here awake while I've been sleeping? Just because I wanted to cuddle?” he asked, an amused smirk on his face.

Jungkook's brow furrowed in confusion. There had been a choice? “You said it was mandatory,” he explained.

Jimin laughed, falling against Jungkook's chest. 'He's so cute,' he thought, not even trying to reroute the thought this time. When he rose again, he laid his palm against Jungkook's cheek. “That's sweet. You're a good dongsaeng.”

Jungkook's face burned. He was sure what he felt was visible by the way that Jimin smiled smugly down at him. His face must be flaming red. But Jungkook was also happy. This was the first time Jimin was calling him dongsaeng since the other man found out he'd no longer be working solo.

Jungkook felt restlessness inside his body as he looked up at the other man. He wanted to escape. So he pulled his phone up to his face and began to scroll through Twitter again. Jimin took the phone, turned it off, and then threw it across the room to land on top of the plush carpeting.

“Hey!” Jungkook yelled, sitting up.

Jimin pushed him back down and leaned over him to turn the lamp off, dousing them both in complete darkness. “No phones for the rest of the night,” he said. “For either of us.”

“But-”

“Nope.” Jimin interrupted. “I know you feel like you have to know how people react to you after the announcement, but you don't. Those people haven't even seen you perform yet. You can check the reactions after you officially debut. After you've shown them what you can do. Besides...I have a feeling you'll get an idea of the reaction whether you look for the response or not.”

“But...”

“Trust me. It won't help if you know. It'll only stress you out. Whether it's wanting to meet people's expectations or prove people wrong and show that you have what it takes.”

Jungkook finally quieted down because he knew that was true. It didn't immediately salve his curiosity, but it made him consider the fact that it definitely may be something he wanted to tamp down in the coming future.

“Now turn around and cuddle me,” Jimin demanded, his voice a low whisper.

Jungkook complied without resistance. It was easier in the dark. Everything was easier in the dark.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	10. Up and Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update posted! Thanks, anon, as always.

They just laid there silently for a while. Jungkook started to think Jimin had fallen asleep again until he spoke.

“Jungkook.”

“Mm?”

“You know that boyfriend I told you about?”

“Yeah.”

“...We broke up.”

Jimin confessed it to the dark. It was an issue that had been weighing on him for the past few days. He needed to talk to someone about it. He didn't know why he chose to confide in someone younger than him who may or may not be homophobic but...whatever.

“Oh...” Jimin felt Jungkook's hand rub his back once. Twice. Awkwardly. In some weird gesture of comfort. “Do you know why?” the younger man finally ended up asking.

“Well...I know why we broke up,” Jimin said. They were speaking quietly as if they were having a private conversation even though no one was in the house besides themselves. “But I don't know why he did the thing that caused the breakup.”

“What did he do?” Jungkook asked, trying to decipher Jimin's clunky explanation.

Jimin burrowed into Jungkook's chest as if trying to seek extra comfort. “...He cheated,” he finally whispered, almost so softly that Jungkook couldn't hear it.

Jungkook instinctively wrapped his arm tighter around Jimin, pulling him closer. He had never met Jimin's boyfriend – he didn't even know his name – but he hated him already. His hyung was confidence and happiness personified on good days but someone had made him sound broken and curl in on himself like this. It was infuriating.

“When I found out, I just told him it was over and I haven't talked to him since,” Jimin continued.

Jungkook wondered if that's why the other man had been looking down lately. “Good,” he said in response to Jimin.

“That's what I thought,” Jimin said. “But lately I've been feeling like I need to know why he did what he did. Why I wasn't good enough.”

“Hyung-”

“I know, I know,” Jimin said. “It's not me, it's him. But it's so weird to think about how I was thinking we were starting to become something serious and he was just headed in a completely different direction. It's scary how you can read someone so wrong.”

Jungkook nodded. He could understand that. “Well, hyung-” He started, then stopped.

“What?” Jimin prompted.

“Do you want my advice or do you just need to vent?” Jungkook asked.

“Advice,” Jimin replied.

“I think that if you talk to him...No matter what he says, it won't be what you want to hear. He cheated. There's no good reason for that. So if you do talk to him, I don't think you should go in expecting something like that. I think the best you can hope for is a sincere apology. And then see what you want to do from there. But only talk to him when and _if_ you feel ready. If you never feel ready, that's okay too. Don't meet up with him if it's something that only he wants. He's lost the privilege to call you out anytime he wants. Everything is in your hands now.”

Jimin was shocked at Jungkook's words. How could such mature and wholesome advice come from someone so...well...Jungkook?

“How do you know so much about relationships?” Jimin asked.

Jungkook shrugged. “I guess it comes naturally.”

This caused Jimin to scoff and roll his eyes. 'I guess the ego comes naturally too,' he thought. “That's ironic,” Jimin said, ready to put the younger man back in his place. “Coming from someone who almost bit his girlfriend's lip off the first time they kissed.”

“Are you ever going to let that go?” Jungkook spat. Jimin could imagine the angry flush that was probably filling the younger man's face now.

“Nope,” Jimin retorted.

“It was a one-time thing!” Jungkook sputtered. “And it was my first kiss!” He didn't know how many times he needed to highlight that point, but he would do it as many times as needed.

“That's no excuse,” Jimin shot back. “ _I_ never bit through _my_ girlfriend's lip on the first kiss.”

There was a bit of silence and Jimin didn't know why until Jungkook asked, “You had a girlfriend?”

Ah. “Yes,” Jimin replied. “Back before I committed myself to the gay agenda.”

“...Is there a gay agenda?”

Pause. “You're kidding, right?”

Jungkook chuckled. “Yes.”

“Oh.” Jimin relaxed back into his pillow, relieved. “I can't tell with you sometimes because you're an idiot.”

“I'm not.” Jimin could hear the pout in his voice.

“You are.”

Jungkook reached under Jimin's shirt and pinched the skin of his back. “Get back to the story,” he said. “You had a girlfriend, and? How was it? Did you like her?”

“I did like her,” Jimin said. “She was fun to hang out with. But it was nothing special. Like most middle school loves, we just got together because we felt it was something we should do. You know...the other kids were doing it.” He laughed. “But nothing really came of it. We kissed a couple of times and then over the summer break we broke up simply because we weren't seeing each other everyday.”

“Then, in high school, I had another girlfriend. I lost my virginity to her. But around then is when I really started to struggle with my sexuality so...she went through a lot. I broke up with her when I realized I was being unfair to her. And that's when I really threw myself into working towards my career as an entertainer.”

“I don't understand how you can have sex with a girl if you're gay,” Jungkook said.

“A hole is a hole,” Jimin said crudely.

“Eww,” Jungkook whined.

Jimin laughed at his 12-year-old response.

“No, but seriously...” Jimin said. “Sexuality is not just about sex. At least not to me. I guess for some people it could be. Some people would probably label me as bi just because I have the capacity to be physically attracted to girls. But I don't label myself that way because when I envision a happy, fulfilled future...I don't see a girl by my side.”

Jungkook was silent.

“You don't understand what I mean, do you?” Jimin guessed.

“No,” Jungkook replied honestly. “I can't understand why you would entertain the thought of being with a man in that way when you could have a girl. You may feel like you want to be with a man...but it's wrong. So why would you just not take the easier path?”

Jimin felt a stab to his heart at the casual way that Jungkook just dismissed and damned his entire existence. He usually would cut someone off the minute they showed any sign of a lack of acceptance towards him but there was something about Jungkook that made him tamp down his anger. Give him chance after chance. He didn't feel that the kid's blunt words came from an intentionally malicious place. He propped himself up onto his elbow, looking down in Jungkook's general direction because he couldn't quite see him in the dark. “Why is it wrong?” Jimin asked, wanting to hear Jungkook's reasoning for saying what he said.

“Because the Bible says so,” Jungkook said easily. “Society says so. Biology says so. Everything says that it's wrong. Okay, maybe wrong isn't the right word. I think the better word is unnatural.”

Jimin's eyes widened and another shot went through his heart. He really was dealing with a homophobe here. A homophobe who didn't even realize how homophobic he was being if the casual way he said these things was any indication.

Jimin withdrew his arm from around Jungkook's waist, finding the younger man much less cute in this moment. “No,” Jimin said. “That's not a better word.” He chuckled derisively.

“Oh...” Jungkook said. “I don't mean to offend-”

“You are,” Jimin cut him off before he could even finish that sentence. “You are offending me, but I don't want to stop talking about it. I like talking about these things.”

He really didn't. But his heart was pounding with a strange, overwhelming desire to argue with Jungkook until the other man saw his point of view on this. He knew that was an unhealthy thought to have and an unfair burden to put on himself – it wasn't his job to convince anybody of anything – but that didn't stop him this time.

“You said the Bible says it's wrong,” Jimin said. “Well, who says the Bible is right? Who wrote the Bible?”

“God,” Jungkook responded.

“Nuh-uh, idiot. Men wrote the Bible. And they only _claimed_ it was what God told them.”

Jungkook was quiet.

'Ha,' Jimin thought victoriously, taking Jungkook's silence as a winning point for himself.

“You don't have to call me names,” Jungkook mumbled.

Jimin counted that as another point for himself. Instead of a rebuttal, the younger man could only comment about the well-deserved insult he had received.

“I do,” Jimin said stubbornly. “And just because society says something is right doesn't mean it's always right either,” Jimin said, undeterred from his defenses. “There could be a law passed tomorrow that tells us that tells us it's okay to marry 13-year-olds like in the past. Doesn't mean it would be right. Society changes. Values change. So you can't base morality on that.”

Jungkook was quiet again.

'Three points, me. Dung-kookie, zero,' Jimin thought, not caring how petty his inner voice sounded.

“You still haven't really answered my question though,” Jungkook finally said.

“What question?”

“Even if you feel like you want to be with a man, why would you act on that? I mean...let's focus on the purely physical aspect. A girl's sexual organs are designed to accommodate a man's. The opposite sexes are quite literally designed for each other. The genitalia and all the other stuff like making kids...Only a woman and a man together are able to make a baby. If two people of the same sex were _meant_ to be together in that way, don't you think we all would have been designed to have the potential to reproduce?”

Jimin rolled his eyes. He tamped down his frustration at the fact that the other man was still willing to argue with him and focused on answering the question. “Okay,” he said. “If you use that logic...What about the women who can't reproduce?”

“Huh?”

“There are some women who, for whatever reason, are unable to have children. Are they unnatural too?”

“Well, no...But-”

“Exactly,” Jimin interrupted. “The ability to reproduce has no bearing on the value of a person or their relationships.”

“That wasn't what I was trying to say.”

“Then what were you trying to say?”

Jungkook sighed. “I guess what I'm most confused about is the fact that, based on what you've said...You can have sex with a girl...and get pleasure from it. So why not...instead of committing yourself to this whole other lifestyle...why not just wait for a girl to come along that you could find yourself falling in love with? Why actively go out of your way to just focus on being with men?”

“Because I _want_ to be with a man,” Jimin said, frustrated. Even though he subscribed to the belief that sexuality could be a layered and complex thing, he didn't understand why it was so hard for Jungkook to grasp this concept.

“Why?” the younger man asked again.

Jimin groaned and ran his hand through his hair. The last thing he knew, he had been sleeping peacefully. Since when did he sign up for a debate? In his own home? But he kept going, returning the younger man's question with a question of his own. “Okay, how about this? Why have you only wanted to be with women your whole life?”

“Because I like them!” Jungkook said immediately.

“Exactly!” Jimin said. “It's that simple! I want to be with men because I _like_ men!”

“More than women?”

“Romantically, yes.”

“...But why?”

“Ughhhh!”

* * *

Jungkook was banished from the bed and released from all cuddling duties. He decided not to tell Jimin that he did find that to be quite a cruel punishment.

* * *

The next day, after the announcement, Jungkook got his first glimpse into what being a celebrity truly meant. No down time. He and Jimin were going from the minute they got up in the morning to the minute they went to sleep.

They had started the day with an interview for an online magazine, which led into a photoshoot for the new album cover, and then there was a radio show, another interview, shooting for a music video, a press conference, filming for an online promotional video, and then...Jungkook had been allowed to guest on the variety show, _Come Together,_ with Jimin. He had allowed Jimin to take the lead on any and all questions because he had been too nervous to even open his mouth. It was so bad that the hosts of the show started to make a running joke out of the fact that Jimin seemed to be his spokesperson instead of his duo partner. They had received a call afterwards from Bang PD himself to tell Jungkook he would have to start speaking up more.

After hanging up, Jimin had reassured Jungkook by stroking his fingers beneath his chin. “Don't worry,” he said quietly. “You were cute.”

And that wasn't the last time Jimin had surprised him with his renewed gentleness toward the younger singer.

He fed him between breaks, made sure his makeup was constantly touched up, and constantly urged him on with a stroke of his hand through the younger man's hair or a soft pat of the cheek or a gentle and playful pinch on his ribs. And he made him look good during every broadcast they attended.

At the last radio show they attended, the MC had asked Jimin what surprised him about Jungkook now that he was working with him and the older man had responded: “Though he's a little on the quiet side, Jungkookie is a relationship expert.”

Jungkook had blushed fiercely and – admittedly, for a second – suspected Jimin was about to tease him for the injury he had done to his girlfriend again, but the older man had continued by saying, “He gave me some relationship advice that actually turned out to be pretty helpful. And it surprised me because he's so young.” And then he had expertly dodged any follow-up questions about their dating lives by saying, “Of course we're too busy to put that knowledge to good use but...it surprised me nonetheless.”

From then on, Jungkook knew that no matter how Jimin felt about him personally, the other man would remain professional. He had been afraid their bickering last night had further soured things between them.

Granted, their relationship still wasn't like it was before with Jimin constantly doting on Jungkook whenever he could. But it was good.

So Jungkook put his complete trust in Jimin and followed his lead through the days, weeks, and then months of their promotion after his debut.

* * *

It had been three months since Jungkook's debut, and he was happy. Jimin's fans had welcomed Jungkook with open arms and they were currently one of the top Kpop acts. They already had a few music show wins under their belt and Jungkook thanked God everyday for how lucky he was.

They had just finished performing at Music Bank and Jungkook found Jimin backstage, lounging on a couch with his legs crossed and talking to a camera. Jungkook assumed it was for filming behind-the-scenes footage. He smiled and made his way over, ready to interrupt.

There was something else that had changed in the months that they had started working together.

Jungkook sat down and playfully began to chase Jimin's lips with his own. Jimin, surprised at the sudden intrusion, turned away with a giggle and skillfully avoided Jungkook's advances.

Jungkook had become a bit of a tease.

It had become a bit of a game between the two to see who could make the other back down first. A game of Gay Chicken if you will. The fact that they were heavily shipped and spurred on by fans and their company itself didn't help matters. Jungkook hadn't yet learned that he should never play the game with someone as shameless and competitive as Jimin.

After about five seconds of avoiding, Jimin suddenly turned his head back towards Jungkook causing the younger man's lips to crash into his face. Jungkook jumped back as if shocked while Jimin smiled a sly smile.

Jungkook was so freaked out that he didn't even know what his lips had actually caught. He just knew that was too close for comfort. He tried to force a smile for the cameras, but with wide eyes, he vacated the couch as quickly as possible.

By the time they were making their way back home in the van, Jungkook was still not meeting his eyes so Jimin decided to show him some mercy. “Hey,” he said, looking up from the book he had opened in his lap. “You didn't touch my lips. You kissed my chin.” He pointed to the area right below his lips. “Trust me. If you had kissed my lips, you would have known it.” He winked and blew a kiss Jungkook's way – which caused the younger man to blush red all over again and turn back towards the window – before turning back to his book.

A smile of amusement coaxed the corners of Jimin's lips upwards.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin didn't know what Jungkook's game was.

The younger man still continuously debated Jimin about his sexuality whenever the topic came up but his actions were becoming increasingly confusing.

It was quite typical of Jungkook to come over to Jimin's house now since they had scheduled activities together and it was easier to just leave from the same place. And tonight was no different. The two men were brushing their teeth in Jimin's expansive bathroom. Jungkook was seated on the marble countertop next to the sink, facing Jimin, while Jimin stood next to him facing the mirror.

He turned on the rush of water and spat out the foam in his mouth, watching it swirl down the drain while simultaneously ignoring the fact that Jungkook's legs were suddenly inching around him and dragging him to stand directly in front of the younger man.

Standing between Jungkook's knees as the brunette's legs dangled on either side of him, Jimin narrowed his eyes suspiciously but refrained from asking any questions at that particular second, instead deigning to place his toothbrush back into his mouth and continue brushing.

Jungkook gave a shit-eating grin before turning to the side and spitting his own mouthful of toothpaste into the sink.

Unable to hold his curiosity for long, Jimin asked, “What are you doing?”

Jungkook took a small paper cup from the stack resting beside the sink and filled it with water to rinse his mouth. “You know how in k-dramas the leads always have a cheesy scene like this? Either brushing their teeth together or cooking together and getting all messy with the flour?” Jungkook laughed, a goofy smile on his face, as if that clearly explained his thought pattern.

It didn't.

“Uh-huh?” Jimin said in a questioning tone.

“I always wanted to try it.” That smile was still spread across his face.

Jimin allowed his glance to slip to Jungkook's lips for a second. But only for a second.

“You watch too many dramas,” he said.

He took the paper cup filled with water that Jungkook held out to him and rinsed his mouth. Allowing his hand to grip the younger man's muscled thigh, Jimin leaned over to spit into the sink before wiping his mouth with a towel. “All done,” he said, rising up with a grin and backing away from Jungkook.

Jimin was convinced Jungkook didn't know what kind of dangerous game he was playing.

Jimin hadn't had sex – not even a one-night stand – since the night he had impulsively broken up with Ryu Won. And that had been months ago. He was _starving_ for some sexual attention and Jungkook was just like a little unsuspecting deer wandering into a wolf's den with his flirtations.

He understood the flirting when cameras were rolling, but he didn't understand what was happening when they were off camera and Jungkook's flirting continued. Especially when the younger man made his views about homosexuality clear.

If it wasn't for the fact that Jungkook had a girlfriend, Jimin was sure he would have broken his own willpower by now and showed the younger exactly what would happen if he was teased too much but he knew how it felt to be cheated on. And he refused to subject anyone to that by his hands.

But that was a resolve he had _before_ he was in bed with Jungkook's hand trailing the skin beneath his shirt.

“What are you doing?” Jimin asked for the second time that night.

“Writing my name,” Jungkook responded. And Jimin was sure if the lights were on and he could see, he would see that same playful and innocent smile adorning the other man's face.

Jimin hated it.

He hated that the other man always had a cavalier explanation for what he was doing even though it was driving Jimin, himself, crazy. All of Jimin's past experiences with hook-ups and in relationships was telling him that Jungkook was doing this on purpose and trying to draw a response out of him. Any other time in his life that someone had reached underneath his shirt and gently caressed him had led to more...intimate things.

But he didn't know exactly what Jungkook was looking for. His actions and his words greatly contradicted each other. And more than that, any time Jimin _did_ turn the flirtation back around on the younger man, he never failed to run away. The day's earlier events in front of the camera was testament to that.

Lying on his back, with his arm thrown over his head, Jimin breathed slowly and deeply trying to keep his libido at bay. But he didn't push Jungkook's hand away. He enjoyed the touch.

When Jungkook laid his palm flat against his stomach, Jimin couldn't help but to release a soft noise from the back of his throat. “Mm.” He could feel the warmth from Jungkook's large hand sinking into his skin. He was really, really on thin ice here. He felt like a rubber band being stretched taut, close to snapping. “Your hand is warm,” he murmured.

Jungkook curled his fingers and trailed his nails gently across Jimin's stomach. “Are you ticklish, hyung?” the younger man asked.

“No,” Jimin lied. He was quite ticklish, but he wasn't about to release that information. He knew how people tended to use that particular weakness against him whenever he let his guard down if they ever knew about it.

But, of course, Jungkook didn't take his word for it. They never did.

Jungkook slid his hand to Jimin's side and dug his fingers in between his ribs. Jimin contracted and a laugh was forced from his throat. The older man thought all people who liked to assault people with tickles were psychopaths. They apparently obtained a sick thrill from watching their victims squirm in helpless laughter until their stomachs hurt and tears streamed down their face. So before Jungkook could cause him to reach that point, he used all of his strength to force the other man onto his back and pin his arms to the bed next to his head while Jimin straddled him.

“I was trying to play nice,” Jimin started. But he was cut off when Jungkook flipped them again, reversing their positions.

Jimin tried to reverse them again, but Jungkook fought back until they were both fully struggling against each other beneath the sheets. The impromptu wrestling match was punctuated by heavy breathing and light giggling.

Eventually, Jimin hooked his leg around Jungkook's and shouldered against him pushing him onto his back on the bed. An increasingly tired Jungkook put all his focus into catching Jimin's hands before he could return the tickle attack instead of trying to regain the dominant position. That was okay, though. Because Jimin decided to use his mouth to enact revenge.

He placed his mouth on Jungkook's left ear and tickled it with his tongue.

Jungkook became breathless with giggles. “Stop!” he gasped out. “Stop, stop! Please stop.” He pushed his face into the pillows trying to escape Jimin's tongue, but the older man followed him. “Stop it,” Jungkook giggled again, but his voice held no power and his grip began to slowly loosen from around Jimin's hands. Feeling the fight fade from Jungkook's body, Jimin began to tease Jungkook's ear with a new kind of energy. He caught Jungkook's earlobe gently between his teeth and gave it a playful bite before gently scraping his teeth downward.

A couple more short giggles tumbled from Jungkook's lips but the shift in the atmosphere was tangible. Soon the only sounds that filled the darkness of the room were deep breaths and the soft smack of wet kisses as Jimin took his ministrations from Jungkook's ear to his jawline to his neck. He moved slowly, his tongue lapping gently against the younger man's pulse point.

He gripped the soft skin between his teeth and gave a gentle suck. Jimin's eyes rolled shut as he enjoyed the fact that he was finally getting a chance to sink his teeth into the younger man. He was already hard. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when he had grown to be in such a state, but he assumed it must have been somewhere between Jungkook feeling him up and their little wrestling match. Either way, he rocked his hips almost imperceptibly against Jungkook's thigh, trying to get just a tiny bit of friction and relief. His movements were small because he wasn't sure how far Jungkook wanted to take this. The younger man wasn't offering up any sounds to encourage him in any direction. Only Jimin's hand on Jungkook's heaving chest told him that the other man hadn't completely turned to stone.

He kissed his way back up Jungkook's cheek while gently coaxing the brunette's head in his direction.

His eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness but he still couldn't see properly so he placed his fingers over where he expected Jungkook's lips to be. When he felt small puffs of air against his fingers, he knew he was right. Gently running his fingertips against the soft pink swells of Jungkook's lips, he asked softly, “Can I kiss you?”

The question hung in the air unanswered. Unsure how to interpret that, Jimin threw caution to the wind and moved his fingers, replacing them slowly with his pillowy lips. For a moment, he held still – his lips simply pressed against Jungkook's, giving Jungkook permission to pull away if he wanted to. When Jungkook tentatively opened his lips, allowing him access, Jimin readily took the invitation. He slotted his lips against Jungkook's and led him into a sweet, open-mouthed kiss. But it seemed just as soon as it had started, it was interrupted by a rough shove against his shoulders.

“Ew. Get off of me, hyung. Gross,” Jungkook muttered harshly before vacating the bed.

Just like that. The sweetness was turned to something sour in a matter of seconds.

Jimin was left alone confused and rejected with the bitter taste on his tongue as his brain tried to catch up to what just happened.

After trying to dissect it and still coming up empty, he could only decide on one thing for sure. He would never let himself lose control or be vulnerable like that in front of Jeon Jungkook again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think about Jungkook's mixed signals?
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/  
> Commission me to update an ongoing fic or start a new one for:  
> $10/chapter or one-shot  
> $1/page
> 
> And comments are always welcome. :)


	11. When you Leave, I Come Around

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, anon for commissioning this chapter (10 pages).  
> Thank you, BangtanBoysPin for commissioning four pages.
> 
> Instead of separating the two commissions into two different chapters, I simply wrote a 14-page update. I hope you both like it. :)

**Jungkook's POV:**

Jungkook left Jimin's house, not knowing exactly where he was meaning to go. He just knew he needed to leave. To escape. Nothing was on his mind except the things that had transpired just before, and he was trying to outrun those images. Those feelings.

He didn't really pay much attention to his environment until he found himself at a bus stop. It was only then that where he needed to go sprang pretty clearly to his mind.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin couldn't believe it.

Jungkook was gone. Nowhere to be found.

The morning had come with Jimin feeling restless and irritated from the events that had occurred only hours before, and he had been more than ready to avoid and ignore Jungkook for the rest of the day. But Jungkook was beating him to the punch by having disappeared completely. That wouldn't have annoyed Jimin if it wasn't for the fact that they had events scheduled for the day! And for the rest of that week and the entire month after, to be honest! Jungkook had run away right in the middle of promotions!

As Jimin sat inside his transport van, wearing a huge jacket to block out the chill of the coming winter, he was livid! Since meeting the other man, Jimin had found that there was a lot that he could take. He could take hurtful words – whether they were meant to hurt or not. He could take teasing. He could even take the slap of rejection that he had felt so strongly last night. But he could not take unprofesionalism.

Because Jungkook's absence affected more than Jungkook himself and it affected more than Jimin. His absence affected their entire staff, the company, the MCs and hosts of the programs they were meant to attend, and most importantly...their fans.

Jimin ran his hand through his hair in frustration and jabbed his thumb down on Jungkook's name in his cell phone for what felt like the thousandth time. “Come on,” he muttered. “Pick up!” When the call remained unanswered, he threw the cell phone on the floor of the van and groaned, placing his head in his hands.

They were parked outside of the building housing Show Champion and he would eventually be called in to rehearse. His and Jungkook's manager and the rest of the staff were running around frantically, trying to get into contact with Jungkook or someone who knew where Jungkook was. Jimin had already told them what he knew – that Jungkook had left his house at around 1am and he hadn't heard from him after that.

Jimin wracked his brain, trying to figure out where the other man could have gone. He wasn't at home because Jungkook's manager had already checked there. He wasn't at Yoongi's or Namjoon's. Jimin had already called them.

'Did he hate kissing me that much?' Jimin thought, finding it hard to believe that Jungkook just left when it was obvious that the younger man was working harder than many to achieve and fulfill his dream of being a successful entertainer. He was also trying to hold onto his anger because the underlying emotion simmering just beneath the surface was much worse to focus on.

Worry.

He couldn't let himself linger on the thoughts that something may have happened to the younger man with his wide eyes and innocent smile. If an accident had occurred or the man had run into someone unsavory...well, Jimin didn't want to think about that.

His leg bounced wildly up and down when the door to his van burst up, allowing sunlight to stream in.

“We found him.”

Immediate relief washes over Jimin at the words of Jungkook's manager. And then he allows the anger to come back since he can read from the man's facial expression that they hadn't found him in any kind of emergency.

“Where is he?” Jimin gritted out.

“I managed to reach his mother and she said he's back home. She didn't tell me much more than that. Just that he showed up there early this morning. She said they'll keep in contact but it doesn't look like he'll be coming back today.”

Jimin's eyes widened in disbelief. “Wha-?” he started. His mind whirred, not even knowing where to begin. All he could think was, 'How dare he?' This was uncalled for, unheard of, and frankly, rude. He had never in his life known anyone to just drop promotions like this. Especially not a _rookie_. This told him one of two things: Either Jungkook didn't care as much about being a singer as Jimin originally thought he did or he was just that arrogant to think he could get away with this without facing any consequences.

Jimin's mouth hardened into a thin line. “Tell his mother not to worry about updating us,” Jimin said, placing his shades over his eyes. “He can stay in Busan for as long as he wants. We never needed him. _I_ never needed him.”

* * *

Despite his words, Jimin ended up asking the CEO not to retract Jungkook's contract. Something the CEO had been on the verge of doing once he learned of Jungkook's whereabouts and the fact that he had just taken off without giving warning or seeking permission. He had received the brunt of the CEO's anger that day with the CEO warning him that Jungkook was now his responsibility and if the boy wasn't back to promote within a week that they would both be prematurely dropped from the agency.

Jimin left the office, cursing himself for doing something so stupid. Why he put himself out on the limb like that, he didn't know. All he knew was the fact that he couldn't get Jungkook's perpetually dumbfounded face out of his head.

* * *

**Jungkook's POV:**

Jungkook was weighed down with more than the full-course Korean meal his mother had fed him upon his arrival. He was also weighed down with fear, regret, and guilt. Fear for what he had just done. He had left Seoul right in the middle of promotions. He didn't know how that would affect him, but he knew it wouldn't be good. He would probably lose everything he had worked so hard for. He felt regret for that same reason and also for the way Jimin's face had crumpled in confusion and pain when he had pushed him away. He couldn't get the image out of his mind. He also felt guilt. Crippling guilt. For his girlfriend. He had cheated on her. With a man. He felt disgusting. He _was_ disgusting.

He laid under his blankets in bed with the sheets pulled up to his widened eyes. As he did when he was a child, he had come back to his comfort spot. A place of safety. In bed hiding beneath his covers.

He didn't allow himself to think. Or feel anymore for the time being. It was too overwhelming. He closed his eyes and forced stillness until he fell into a fitful sleep – an escape from the stresses and threats of reality.

Due to going to sleep in the daytime, he awoke in the middle of the night. When he checked the time on his digital clock and saw that it was 3am, the devil's hour, he thought back to a smirking Park Jimin and he shut his eyes tight trying to will the image away. 'Really?!' he thought. 'That's the first thought I have when I wake up?!'

He didn't like that.

He picked up his phone from his nightstand and turned it on. He immediately saw notifications that he had missed calls, texts, and messages on different messaging apps from various people but he anxiously ignored those. He couldn't bring himself to look at the trouble he had gotten himself into yet. He would face it later. Instead, he opened his mobile internet browser and went to Google.

'How do you know if you're gay?' he typed. Just for curiosity's sake.

Many articles and chat boards came up with various people discussing their situations. He read through them for about an hour.

He couldn't relate.

He had never simply found himself more drawn to men than women like many of the people on some of the discussion boards claimed. He had never really found himself that drawn to either if he was being honest with himself. He had been with his girlfriend since middle school and he had just never really found anyone else that drew his eye – male or female. But then again, his girlfriend hadn't really drawn his eye either. She had only come on his radar when she asked him out and he found that he got along with her very well as they were dating. And he enjoyed having sex with her. So he was straight. Right?

His mind flashed to the past night with Jimin. Jimin had rubbed himself against him and he had felt the other man's hardened member through the fabric of their pants. And he had liked it. He had been hard himself.

Jungkook hurriedly shook his head and quickly typed another query into Google.

'I'm straight but a man turned me on?'

He was relieved to see a lot of discussion boards with the same conundrum as the subject matter. It meant he wasn't the only one. So this was normal.

Wait. Not normal. Wait.

If there were many people who questioned their sexuality...What exactly was normal? Was it normal to be attracted to both sexes? Or at least curious about it?

' _My theory is that many people only practice heterosexuality because that's what society has told them that's what they should be doing all their life. They never even open their mind to any other kind of relationship, not realizing that they may be missing out on something good_.'

Jimin's words from one of their many debate sessions came back to him.

He frowned. If he thought about it, he understood Jimin's perspective. He saw the logic in a lot of Jimin's arguments. But he found it difficult to agree with his points because it required a total dismissal of rules and standards that had been ingrained in his mind since birth. Such that he wasn't sure if they were there simply because he was “conditioned by his immediate environment” as Jimin had claimed or because those “rules” were set within his very being from the day he was born regardless of his environment. How was he supposed to know? Certain beliefs and ways of his personal life had been a part of him so long that he didn't know which beliefs came solely from himself and which beliefs were simply things he was told and shown and he just...adopted.

He read through post after post of people who were confused about why they were attracted to someone of the same sex after having believed they were straight. After forty-five minutes of that, he got bored and realized it wasn't helping. He was still as confused as ever.

He exited the discussion boards. He was never one to use arm floaties to try to swim. He was more of a just-throw-me-in-the-deep-end-and-I'll-figure-it-out kind of guy. So he dove right in. To gay porn.

His eyes were wide and his butt was clenched tightly after the first minute. He winced and exited the website after three minutes. He thought about throwing his whole phone away by the five-minute mark.

'There is no way that can feel good!' he thought, completely traumatized by the image he just saw of a buff American man pounding mercilessly into another man's butt. 'How does Jimin- How does _anyone_ go through that and actually say it feels good?!'

He shook his head, eyes still wide. Bewildered and aghast but relieved. 'I'm not gay,' he thought with certainty. 'I can't be gay. That didn't appeal to me one bit.'

Deciding to end the night on that note, he sat his phone aside and released a breath that also took some invisible weight off of his shoulders. Then he went back to sleep feeling slightly better.

Until his dream led him back to Jimin's bedroom and the soft pair of lips moving on top of his. When he woke up the next day, he had morning wood, the weight was back, and he was more confused than ever.

* * *

When his parents asked him why he came back home, he told them simply that he needed a break. They didn't push him on it. In fact, they seemed a bit relieved that he was back. They had never fully gotten on board with his dream of being a singer. His father immediately began to talk to him about a friend who was a hotelier that was always looking for young and ambitious new workers. Jungkook nodded and listened politely but didn't respond.

It was only when his girlfriend came over and they were locked in his room that he was bombarded with questions about why he was back. Apparently, his absence during the music shows he had missed had fans worried.

“Why are you back?” she demanded the moment he closed the door behind them. She sat on the edge of his bed and faced him with her legs crossed underneath herself. “People are afraid you've broken your legs or something!”

Jungkook turned back to her with a gaping mouth. “Broken my legs?” he squawked.

Seon Woo nodded firmly. “Or gotten sick! You've got people worried because Jimin has done the last couple of performances by himself. What happened? You haven't been dropped, have you? That's another rumor.”

Jungkook's stomach dropped. He scratched the back of his head. “Honestly, I don't know,” he said.

“You don't know why you're back?”

“No, I know why I'm back. I just...don't know if I've been dropped or anything like that.” Jungkook's stomach whirls with nausea at his admission as he once again realizes how big of a mistake he may have made. His mind catches up to the other statement Seon Woo made. “Jimin-” he started. “Jimin has been performing by himself?”

Seon Woo nodded. “Yes. He's covering your parts pretty well. Definitely a pro.” She couldn't help but to gush.

“Yeah, well, they were originally meant to be his parts anyway,” Jungkook muttered. He realized then that Jimin must be happy he was gone. He was finally getting to perform alone like he wanted. And he didn't have to deal with someone who argued with him all day. A heavy sadness settled on Jungkook's chest.

“So...?” Seon Woo said. “Why are you back? Are you in trouble?”

Jungkook shook his head. The guilt of letting Jimin kiss him came back to him. “I just...got overwhelmed I think,” Jungkook said vaguely. He wasn't sure if he should tell Seon Woo about a kiss and cause her pain when he was convinced that it didn't even mean anything. He was just confused. It was just a simple kiss. Barely more than a peck. “So I came back.” Jungkook finished. “Things are simple here.”

Jungkook was glad when Seon Woo didn't ask him anymore for the time being. Instead, a smile fell upon her lips and she opened her arms to him. “I'm glad to see you,” she murmured as he came forward and pulled her into an embrace.

* * *

With each passing day in Busan, Jungkook grew more and more terrified. Terrified to read through his messages or answer his calls concerning things he had left behind in Seoul. He knew avoidance wasn't helping matters but he was paralyzed by fear. He felt once he finally faced those messages and calls, things really would be over. If he continued to ignore them, everything in his world would stay frozen. At least for the time being.

He would still be employed by BigHit. He would still be Park Jimin's partner. He would still be the man he was before leaving Busan while having all of that.

He laid with Seon Woo in bed and his mind wandered back to the video he had watched a few days ago. With an unquenchable curiosity, he asked his girlfriend, “Do you know anyone who's ever tried...um...” Sudden embarrassment rushed through him but he continued on. “Anal sex?”

Seon Woo was quiet for a moment and Jungkook burned with humiliation, thinking he had freaked her out. But when she answered, her voice was calm. “Mmm...I think one of my friends talked about doing it before. She said it felt weird. Weird but okay.”

Jungkook's brow furrowed with confusion, wondering what that meant. 'Weird but okay. Weird but okay?' He wanted to ask. He moved his lips to ask...But he couldn't. Thankfully, Seon Woo was on the same wavelength without him having to say anything.

“You want to try it?” she asked.

Jungkook gulped before he nodded. Yes, he wanted to try it. He had to know.

The couple made out and undressed, thoroughly arousing each other, until Jungkook had Seon Woo flipped onto her stomach beneath him. He had to admit that it was a tantalizing sight to have someone present themselves to him in such a way. There was trust and submission in the act.

He gently placed his hands on Seon Woo's hips and lifted, prompting her to rise onto her knees. That was an even more arousing sight. Jungkook inhaled a shuddering breath.

“Are you ready?” he asked, gently stroking her back to help release her tension.

“I think so...” Seon Woo replied. She sounded uncertain.

“We don't have to do this if you don't want to,” Jungkook assured quickly.

Seon Woo shook her head. “I want to try. Go ahead.”

Taking a deep breath, Jungkook lined his hardened member up with Seon Woo's hole and pushed inside slowly. Seon Woo closed her eyes tight and gripped the sheets in her hand, all thoughts of relaxing her body and breathing deeply going out of the window. Jungkook was presented with a tightness he never felt before. It felt better and better the deeper he slipped inside but he was barely able to get past the head of his member before Seon Woo threw her hand back and pushed against his abdomen. “Okay, stop, stop, stop!” she shouted. “It hurts, it hurts!”

Jungkook pulled back quickly and scrambled all the way to the foot of the bed. “Sorry, sorry, sorry!” he rambled, watching Seon Woo carefully with wide, worried eyes.

“It's okay,” Seon Woo said. An embarrassed blush adorned her face. “Um...Maybe we can try again some other time. I'll be more prepared.”

Jungkook hurriedly moved forward and pulled her into a hug. “We don't have to,” he said again. He didn't want her to feel like she had let him down in any way. “We can forget about it. I don't know why I brought it up in the first place.”

“You sure?” Seon Woo asked, looking up at him.

Jungkook nodded firmly. “I'm sure. I was just curious that's all. It's not a big deal.”

Seon Woo leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before putting her arms around his neck and pulling him into a stronger hug. “I've missed you so much since you've been gone,” she murmured.

“I've missed you too,” Jungkook replied.

* * *

After dinner on the fifth day of Jungkook being home, he sat with his mother to play a board game. His father had gone out to drink with some of his coworkers and his brother was away at college. The silence of the house was slightly unfamiliar to Jungkook. He was used to someone making noise at all times. His mother eventually broached conversation.

“Your manager keeps calling,” she said. “Wants to know when you're going to go back.”

Jungkook glanced up at his mother. Whenever she told him about his manager calling, he wondered why. Did they need him to come back and sign something to make his departure from the company official? Or, by some stroke of luck, was he still employed by BigHit?

“Umm...Soon,” he answered. Though he avoided thinking about it, he knew he would have to go back at some point. He just still wasn't sure when he wanted that to be.

“You never told us why you came back in the first place,” his mother continued.

“I got homesick,” Jungkook responded, only telling a portion of the truth. The portion that would endear him to his mother.

“You know you're always welcome,” she said. “Is it too difficult up there? In the city?”

Jungkook shook his head. He refrained from talking, afraid his voice would crack at his mother's concern.

“Your father and I support you, you know,” she spoke again after a few moments of silence. “Even though we hoped for you to pursue a more stable career...We do support you. And you seem to have done well for yourself so far. So if something happened and you feel like giving it all up...just make sure you won't regret your decision. Okay? We want you to be happy.”

Jungkook nodded, again silent. He couldn't voice it, but he was glad to hear that. He thought his parents would resent him forever for running off and only doing what he wanted. He cleared his throat and was finally able to speak. “Do you watch me on TV?” he asked.

His mother smiled. “Of course! Your father even recorded your last program when you and that Park Jimin boy won first place again.”

Jungkook's lips quirked up at Jimin being referred to as “that Park Jimin boy”. His parents usually paid no attention to idols or kpop, preferring to stick to the singers and actors of the past, so it was no surprise that they were unfamiliar with him. He imagined the pout Jimin would wear at the knowledge that they didn't know him and the way that he would immediately increase his charm so that they would know him and never forget him from then on. His small smile disappeared at his mom's next words though.

“We just wish you two would be careful with the skinship and flirting. Junghyunie told us that it's all part of the kpop world – fanservice – but it's a little embarrassing when I go into town and have the ahjummas in the market asking me if you've lost your morals since going to the city. Don't let that Park Jimin influence you if he's not living his life in an upright way.”

Jungkook goes back to being silent. And he just nods. There's no way he can let his mother know about the kiss he shared with the “Park Jimin boy” just a few nights ago.

He finished the board game with his mother and quickly hurried away.

* * *

That night in bed, Jungkook finally checked his messages. There were tons of missed phone calls from his manager asking – practically begging – him to come back. Jungkook felt an increased weight of guilt at the strain in the man's voice. He hoped he hadn't gotten in trouble because of what Jungkook had done. He then listened to messages from Jimin's manager and other members of the staff. They all were pretty much the same – asking him to come back, asking where he was, scolding him – all with varying levels of anger, bewilderment, or worry. Jungkook felt horrible. But he couldn't help but to note that no one had said anything about him being dropped from the agency. He wondered if that was a good thing. He _hoped_ it was.

He listened to messages from Yoongi and Namjoon next. Namjoon just asked him where he was and told them that he hoped he was okay. Yoongi, however, didn't let him off so easy.

“Kid...” the other man said with a sigh. “I don't know what you think you're doing. But you risked a lot by leaving like that. After the work we've all done on this project together, how could you just run off? You've put all of us in a bad position. Especially Jimin. You've disappointed me, Jungkook. A lot. And I'm gonna leave it at that. Because if you have any decency, you probably have realized by now that you've let yourself down even more.” And then there was silence.

Jungkook felt tears prick his eyes. He really respected Yoongi and was glad to have gained him as a friend. Had he ruined that too? He wouldn't be surprised if he had.

He sank further and further into the feelings of guilt and despair. And just to hurt himself more he read through his social media to check the fans' commentary.

' _Where's Jungkook? Is he okay?'_

_'Jungkook not promoting all of a sudden worries me.'_

_'Do you think they dropped him so that Jimin could go solo again? That would be shitty if they did.'_

_'What happened to Jungkook? Did he injure himself? Why is the company covering it up? And why is Jimin? I thought he cared about him!'_

Jungkook's heart pounded in his chest as he saw how many people jumped from one conclusion to another. And whenever he saw blame placed on Jimin, he realized just how careless he had been.

He finally went to the missed calls he had avoided. Park Jimin's.

There were about fifteen – all from the day Jungkook had left for Busan - but there were no messages left for him. Only silence.

Jungkook was sure Jimin hated him and was glad he was gone. He was just about to start considering never going back when he received a single text from the man himself.

' _Get back here now. You asshole._ '

Jungkook left thirty minutes later to catch a train to Seoul.

* * *

On the way back, he watched Jimin's solo performances and the interviews he had done since Jungkook's departure. In each one, the older man covered for him. Professional as ever. Jungkook wanted to sink into his seat, burdened with shame. He had a lot to make up when he got back. He just hoped he would get the chance.

On that thought, he drifted into sleep.

* * *

When Jungkook is in Jimin's presence again, he realizes that nothing has changed since his little self-imposed break. He still finds Jimin charismatic in a way that makes him feel uncomfortable. In a way that makes him feel drawn to the other man in a way that he has never felt towards another man before. In fact, he had never felt this way towards _anyone_ before. It was a strange feeling that he didn't want to examine too closely.

He stared as Jimin went through their performance with leisurely motions. He was onstage of the Music Bank hall and Jungkook had just walked into the pit from backstage. The other man hadn't noticed him yet and he took that time to really appreciate the man's form. He had already gone through hair and makeup so he looked even more immaculate than normal. He wore a stylish red button-up that was unbuttoned to the point where viewers could see his collarbone. Black leather pants hugged his muscled legs.

It's at this point that Jungkook admits...He's more than charismatic. He's beautiful.

Jungkook, on the other hand, looked and felt like a mess. His clothes were wrinkled from traveling through the night and sleeping on the train and his face was puffy and hair a mess. It's as he was realizing his own lack of charisma that – of course – Jimin's eyes landed on him.

Jungkook wanted to run away and hurry to the stylist team but his feet were frozen under the other man's stare. Unsure what reaction he should expect, his heart raced in his chest and he bowed formally. Then realized he was stupid. That's not how he should have greeted his partner and friend. They had passed formalities...Right? Or was he back to square one?

His anxious, darting eyes zoned back in on Jimin's face to get some hint of what kind of mood he would be dealing with when he met the other man face-to-face. But Jimin had turned his attention to one of the cameramen who was talking to him, advising him about certain marks on the stage.

Jungkook took that as his cue to move backstage and start getting ready himself. He wouldn't have time to rehears alongside Jimin before they were set to perform, but he was confident that he knew the routine well enough.

On his way back, he got scolded by both his manager, Jimin's manager, the stage manager, and someone he didn't even know. And all he could do was clasp his hands politely in front of himself and listen before bowing deeply and apologizing. He was informed that he would need to go to the company to meet with the CEO immediately following the performance and his heart thudded. It seemed he wasn't fired yet, but he very well could be in the next couple of hours.

He hoped that wouldn't be the case.

As the finishing touches of his makeup were applied, Jimin came into the dressing room.

“Can I have a few minutes alone with Jungkook?” he asked the staff that was milling around. They filed out of the room. And when they were gone, Jungkook immediately stood up and assumed the position of contriteness. He clasped his hands in front of his body and looked at the floor.

He was now dressed in an outfit that matched Jimin's except with his button-up being black and his leather pants being red. His hair was pushed away from his forehead and makeup caked his face. At least he would be handsome when Jimin killed him. Because he was pretty sure that's what was about to happen if Jimin's gaze was anything to go by. He aimed his eyes back toward the floor. “I'm sorry,” he said quickly before Jimin opened his mouth to speak.

“For what?” Jimin surprised him by asking.

“Huh? Um...The...” His mind flashed back to Jimin's hurt expression the night he left him in bed. “Leaving,” he said. “When we're still in the middle of promotions.”

Jimin was silent. Jungkook wondered what else he could say to appease the other man. To make any of what he had done right. He couldn't think of anything because he realized there was no excuse. He had nothing to say. All he could do was accept a scolding or punishment. Which he hoped would come soon. Because this silence was killing him.

He peeked up at Jimin from beneath his eyelashes and was surprised once again when he saw that the older man didn't look angry. He merely stared at him with an appraising look with his hands crossed across his chest before he spoke again.

“...Are you okay?”

Jungkook's eyes widen, his heart pounds, and his stomach plummets. Not in the way a stomach plummets when it's filled with dread over a surprise pop quiz but in the way it plummets when you're at the summit of a roller coaster ride and you drop into blissful oblivion. Jungkook knew he was in trouble. In a much different way than what he had first anticipated on his train ride here back to Seoul.

After throwing out careless words and leaving in a very unprofessional manner, why was Jimin the one that was apologizing. He was still willing to show care for Jungkook even though he had made so many mistakes?

“I'm...I'm fine,” Jungkook said, his voice barely above a whisper. “How...How are you?”

'What a dumb question,' Jungkook berated himself.

But Jimin replies with an equally dumb answer so he forgives himself. “I'm fine,” the other man says with a nod.

So that's where they are now apparently. Exchanging polite pleasantries like strangers or awkward party guests.

“I'm sorry I kissed you,” Jimin spoke again. And Jungkook found his stomach dropping at the words. Dropping in the way a stomach drops in dread this time. He didn't question the feeling. He just felt it.

“Oh...” Jungkook said. “It's okay.” He didn't want Jimin to apologize for the kiss.

He didn't question that feeling either.

“I'm sorry about leaving like that,” Jungkook rushed to say. “It was wrong of me.”

Jimin nodded.

“So how about this?” he proposed. “We start over with a clean slate. We obviously don't agree on some things. But let's keep things professional between us. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Jimin nodded again and walked forward, proffering his hand for a handshake. Jungkook took it.

A strictly professional relationship. As things should be. Of course.

So why was he so reluctant to release the other man's hand?

Jimin's lips lifted into a half-hearted, tremoring smile before he released his grip, taking the warmth of his fingers with him.

* * *

Their new compromise worked perfectly during the broadcast. They performed harmoniously and in sync. And even the meeting with the CEO hadn't gone that badly. He had just gotten a scolding which wasn't too bad. Jimin seemed to get the worst of the CEO's tongue lashing and that made Jungkook feel like literal garbage.

He spent the rest of the day doing whatever he could for Jimin. So much so that the staff that usually tended to Jimin's immediate needs found themselves having a paid day off. Jimin figured out what he was doing somewhere between Jungkook offering to rub his feet and Jungkook giving him shoulder massages on each break.

He didn't complain.

It wasn't until that night when he decided to take Namjoon's offer to join them at the club they usually frequented that he found a snag in his and Jimin's new agreement.

* * *

The bass filled the club and lights flashed in an exciting frenzy across a mass of dancing bodies as Jungkook followed Namjoon, Yoongi – he had been avoiding the man's eyes the whole night since they met up with him – Taehyung, and Jimin to their regular VIP section.

Jungkook couldn't help but to look around with wide-eyed astonishment and growing excitement, a small smile pulling at his lips. He had never really gone clubbing before so this was a new experience for him. With the music, the lights, the attractive people, and the drinks he could see the appeal though.

They sat down in the glass-encased VIP section overlooking the floor and Jungkook took in everything while everyone else began to talk around him.

As he saw people grinding against each other on the floor below, he decided this was definitely not an experience he would be relaying back to his parents on his next visit.

He settled back into the velvet sofa that snaked across the room and tuned into the conversation around him.

“I think I'm going to get drunk tonight,” Namjoon was saying. “I need to let off some steam.”

“I think we all do,” Yoongi agreed. “That's why we're all here tonight, right?”

They all raised their glasses and clinked them together. Jungkook wondered when they had all ordered and picked up an imaginary glass and brought it to the center, pretending to clink it against the rest. Jimin seemed to be the only one who noticed this and his lips twitched upward with amusement. Jungkook felt a wave of satisfaction at being able to cause Jimin to smile.

He was still amazed that the other man didn't outright hate him at this point so every positive reaction he got was a plus.

So he was even more pleased when Jimin sat his own glass of alcohol in front of him. “Do you like bourbon?” he asked, studying Jungkook from beneath his lashes. Jungkook blushed, wondering how the man exuded a sultry aura simply by existing.

“I like it okay,” Jungkook said, picking up the glass. “Thank you.”

Yoongi looked between the two with a small frown. “Jungkook,” he suddenly inserted, addressing the younger man for the first time that night.

Jungkook jerked his head to look in Yoongi's direction. He blinked lazily and his lips were pulled into a straight line. Jungkook would be lying if he said he wasn't intimidated. “Yes, hyung-nim?”

“Are you going to explain to us why you just up and left for a full five days?” Jungkook gulped. “Do you know what an inconvenience that was for everyone? How you inconvenienced _Jimin_? He had to cover for you and take the blame-”

Jimin nudged the other man with his elbow, cutting him off before he could continue. “Don't,” he admonished gently. “He and I already talked about it. You don't have to speak for me.”

“I know I don't,” Yoongi conceded, his expression soft towards Jimin. “But he needs to understand that he can't just waltz in and out like that. That his actions affect more people than himself.”

“I do!” Jungkook blurted out. “I do understand that, hyung. I don't have an excuse for what I did. And I'm sorry. I do understand how irresponsible it was. I know that doesn't make up for anything but I'll spend however long trying to make it up to you, Jimin, the staff, Bang PD-nim, the fans...And everybody. I'm sorry.”

“...Okay,” Yoongi said after a brief pause. “I'll believe it when I see it. But until then, you have some ground to cover with me. I don't have a soft spot for you like Jimin does.”

Jungkook blushed and glanced at Jimin, wondering if that was true. Did Jimin have a soft spot for him? Even in the midst of getting scolded for the hundredth time that day, he felt a small swell of happiness at the thought.

But that happiness was cut to the quick with Namjoon's next words. “Jimin...Looks like someone is here for you.”

Everyone followed Namjoon's eyeline to the bar where Jungkook saw a tall man with parted, black hair, sharp eyes, and a handsome face sitting and looking up to the VIP section – obviously honed in on Jimin. He raised his glass when he saw that Jimin's attention was finally on him. Then he beckoned him down with a wave of his hand.

“That's my cue,” Jimin said, standing up. He picked up Yoongi's drink and held it in the air. “To letting off steam.” Everyone else except Jungkook and Yoongi – because his was taken – raised their glasses and repeated Jimin's words before Jimin put the drink to his lips and tossed it back.

“Yah!” Yoongi protested. But Jimin paid him no mind. He made his way around the table and left the VIP section, heading towards the ridiculously handsome man who – in Jungkook's opinion – wore way too much makeup for a simple night on the town.

“Who is that?” he asked the others, his brow furrowing when Jimin reached the other man and they immediately embraced before placing a quick kiss on each other's lips.

“Ryu Won,” Taehyung answered with a roll of his eyes. “Jimin's sort-of-boyfriend-but-not-really.”

Jungkook's eyebrows rose to his hairline. “What?!” he asked loudly. Everyone jumped at his overzealous shout. “I thought they broke up.”

“They did,” Taehyung responded. “I mean, they are. Still broken up. I think now they're just fuck buddies. That's what Jimin told me anyway.” He shrugged.

Jungkook's stomach dropped. That dread feeling again.

His eyes went back to the floor where Jimin and Ryu Won were dancing so close to each other that there was no space to breathe in between them. “Is- Is it safe to do that here?” he asked. “What if someone takes a picture? What if it gets on the news?” He scowled.

“I wouldn't worry about that,” Namjoon said. “This crowd is pretty much only the entertainment industry crowd or those related to the industry. It's sort of an unwritten rule that if any rumors come out about anything that happens here, it'll be a domino effect. So everyone just keeps quiet for self-preservation reasons if nothing else.”

Jungkook's heart clenched as he watched Jimin smile at something Ryu Won said and then fell against him in a full-bodied laugh.

He didn't question those feelings either.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin pushed his hips against Ryu Won's pelvis, feeling the other man's hardness pressed against his backside. He had no shame or guilt about going back to Ryu Won to get a sex fix whenever he needed it. Things seemed to be better between them with the understanding that they were only having sex now, nothing deeper than that.

They hadn't officially talked about the status of their relationship to establish that fact, but Jimin was sure they both understood.

This had started the night after Jungkook had left him in bed. He realized he needed to get his sexual needs met somewhere so that he didn't do anything ridiculous like try to accost a straight man. It only took one time for him to feel that type of rejection to know he was never going to put himself in that position again.

So when he had gone out with Taehyung that following night with the intention of scratching his itch, he had seen Ryu Won and come to the conclusion that sleeping with someone he already knew would take less time and work than going through painful small talk with somebody new and then having sex with someone who may or may not be physically compatible with him. Even though Ryu Won could choke as far as he was concerned, at least he knew they had good sex together. And that was all he had needed and wanted at the time.

And they had been repeating this little song and dance every night since.

Jimin found it funny how Ryu Won suddenly had all the time in the world for him now that he wasn't expected to do more than give him a good time in bed.

He pushed his hips back against Ryu Won once again and heard a groan fall from his lips. The taller man placed a kiss at the crook of Jimin's neck before whispering, “Babe, I'm gonna go to the bathroom for a minute. Let's get out of here when I get back, okay?”

Jimin rolled his eyes, anger rising in him anew when the man mentioned the bathroom. Yes, he was still bitter about the fact that he just ran off and left him the last time he had mentioned going to the bathroom. But he wasn't worried whether the man would leave this time. He honestly didn't care if he did. He only kept coming to him for the sake of convenience. If need be, he could find someone else to take care of him in a second. “Okay,” he said. And just like that, the heat of the other man's body was gone from behind him.

He stopped dancing deciding it would be a good time to go to the bar and grab a drink.

When he ordered and the bartender started in on making his drink, he felt someone come to stand beside him.

“You're back alread-?” His question stopped midway when he saw that it wasn't Ryu Won but a smirking Jungkook standing beside him.

He blinked and pulled back a bit from where he sat on his stool. He pulled back because one...Jungkook was standing mightily close. Two...He was looking particularly handsome tonight and Jimin had just sworn off trying to pounce on straight men. And three...he needed to see his expression better. Why the hell was he smirking?

“What are you smirking at?” Jimin asked, voicing his question aloud.

Jungkook's smirk grew into a smile. The slight dopiness of his grin and the slight blush of his cheeks led Jimin to believe that Jungkook had finished off the glass of bourbon he had left him with upstairs and had maybe ordered at least two more. “You,” Jungkook answered.

Jimin's brows hitched. Jungkook was obviously tipsy but he didn't slur. In fact, he looked pretty confident. The meek shyness that usually underlied many of his actions didn't seem to be there. Jimin scooted a little further away from the other man. He didn't need a confident Jungkook to be standing next to him right now.

“Me?” he asked. “What about me?”

“You with Ryu Won,” Jungkook said. And Jimin was about to be offended and opened his mouth to retort until Jungkook continued. “When you know you're better than him. Watching you two is like watching an angel with a troll.”

Jimin blinked. And then blushed. And then blinked again. And then laughed against his will. “Where did that come from?” he asked.

Jungkook shrugged.

When a new song of the DJ's set started, Jungkook gently grabbed Jimin's wrist. “Dance with me.” It was more of a command than a question.

Jimin's loins stirred.

He did not like that.

He pulled his wrist from Jungkook's soft grasp and turned back to the front to find that his drink was made and sitting in front of him. “No,” he said. He began to stir his drink quickly.

Jungkook leaned against the bar, a soft furrow between his brow. “Why not?”

“Why should I?” Jimin asked.

“Because...” Jungkook seemed to think for a moment before the answer came to him with clarity. “You want to.”

Jimin laughed. His heart pattered wildly against his chest. “What? No, I don't.”

“Yes, you do,” Jungkook goaded, leaning more into Jimin's space. Jimin refused to look at him. “You have a soft spot for me. That's what Yoongi hyung said.”

“ _Yoongi_ says a lot of things,” Jimin said. “He went on a whole rant about how we're merely robots created from an alien's experiment so...his words mean nothing.”

“Sounds legit to me,” Jungkook murmured before taking Jimin's wrist again.

Heat shot up Jimin's arm. He needed Jungkook to lose some of this boldness immediately. 'Remind me to never go drinking with him again,' Jimin told himself.

“Dance with me,” Jungkook suggested again. This time in a soft and imploring voice.

Jimin felt himself cracking.

“Why do you even want to dance with someone who's gross?” he asked.

He watched Jungkook's face fall. “I didn't mean it like that,” Jungkook said. “I didn't mean that. You're not gross, Jimin.”

Jungkook tugged gently on Jimin's arm, trying to coax him onto the dance floor. “Please, hyung?”

“Jimin. You ready to go?”

Jimin turned around to see that Ryu Won was back from the bathroom. Jungkook's grip tightened on his arm. He looked back to the younger man to see a scowl directed at Ryu Won before he turned back to direct an imploring look at Jimin. 'Please,' Jungkook mouthed. Jimin felt a tug at his heart. He wanted to stay. He wanted to do anything the younger man asked of him.

Which is exactly why he stood up and extracted himself from Jungkook's grip. “I'll see you later, Jungkook,” he said turning away from him. He tilted his head toward Ryu Won. “Let's go.”

He left without turning back. He couldn't turn back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter consisted of a lot of Jungkook's self-exploration, an attempt at butt sex between people who didn't really know what they were doing in that regard, and Jungkook lowkey trying to snatch Jimin away from his fuck buddy even though he's still in denial.
> 
> When will the bunny boy get it together?
> 
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	12. The Games we Play

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, anon, again - for your support. Here is the chapter. Hope you like it. :)

**Jungkook's POV:**

As a friend, Jungkook – in good conscience – could not allow Jimin to continue seeing Ryu Won. Which is why he used every tool in his arsenal to disrupt the pattern they had seemed to establish between themselves.

The two had gone out twice more after the night in the club and that was when Jungkook realized he couldn't just stand around and watch it happen. He couldn't stand around and watch his friend fall back into an unhealthy relationship with someone as unworthy as Ryu Won. Jungkook didn't really know Ryu Won but...he knew he was unworthy. He knew it for a fact, deep in his bones.

So, as a friend, he took the only logical step he could. He sabotaged.

“Ow!” Jungkook yelled as he stood up on his feet before he, just as quickly, slumped back down onto the couch backstage of the music festival that he had just stood up from.

He gripped his ankle while simultaneously risking a quick glance up to see that Jimin had, in fact, stopped talking to whoever he was talking to – a performer Jungkook didn't know – to look over towards him with a questioning expression on his face. Jungkook hurriedly looked away again and hissed in pain, hoping he wasn't being too obvious. He was satisfied that he wasn't when Jimin walked over to him and asked, “What's wrong?”

“I don't know,” Jungkook said, risking another quick glance up at Jimin. “I think I hurt my ankle.”

“You think you hurt your ankle?” Jimin asked, sitting down next to him. Concern laced his voice. “Where? Let me see.” He brushed Jungkook's hand aside and lifted his pants leg up before gently brushing his fingers against it. “It doesn't look swollen. Tell me if this hurts.” He carefully and slowly moved Jungkook's foot from side to side.

“Ow!” Jungkook yelped again when he felt the moment was right.

“That hurts?” Jimin asked, hurriedly sitting back so he wouldn't cause anymore damage. When Jungkook nodded in reply to his question, he stood up.

“Where are you going?” Jungkook asked.

“Going to get medical staff,” Jimin said. “To make sure it's nothing serious.”

Jungkook shook his head with wide eyes. He didn't need a professional to come look at his perfectly well ankle. That would not only waste their time but be a completely embarrassing blow to him. “No,” he said. “You don't have to get them. It's not serious. I can tell it's just sprained. It just hurts really bad right now. All I need is ice.”

Jimin studied him cautiously. “You sure?”

Jungkook nodded. “If you just make sure I stay off my feet, I'm sure I'll be fine by tomorrow.”

Jimin paused. Jungkook was sure he was trying to think of how to tell him he had to go out to meet Ryu Won soon but his good nature was battling with his previously made plans. He just needed a little more nudging in the right direction.

Jungkook tried to stand up again. “Ah!” He collapsed back onto the couch and Jimin rushed to his side.

“What'd you try to stand up for?!”

“Wanted to test it out again.”

“You idiot! Fine. I'll make sure you stay off of your feet. Just come back home with me and I'll take care of you.”

Jungkook smirked, victorious.

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin hated how weak he was.

All Jungkook had to do was bat his large, expressive eyes and apparently he was putty in his hands.

He was currently sitting on his couch at home with his feet pulled into the other man's lap as he massaged them. Jimin tried not to focus too much on how good and firm the other man's touch felt against his aching feet – feet that were always aching on some level due to the nature of his career. But he found his eyes drifting over the pages of his open book to gaze at the way Jungkook's long fingers pressed into his skin, kneading the muscles there. Those hands were skilled and beautiful. He wondered how they would feel on his-

No.

Nope.

He couldn't go there.

He snapped his eyes back to his book. “I thought I was supposed to be taking care of _you_ ,” he said.

His words went ignored with Jungkook's response, the younger choosing to focus on a different topic of conversation. “Your toes are cute, hyung.”

Jimin's brow furrowed. That was a first. No one had ever complimented his toes before. “They are?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Jungkook responded. “They're little. Like the rest of you.”

Jimin rolled his eyes and pulled his feet back from Jungkook's lap and out of his grip. Being called little was a pet peeve of his. In fact, he was pretty sure it was a complex. “The rest of me isn't little,” he snapped back. “Not the part that matters anyway,” he teased with a lift of his eyebrows.

It was a tease that came naturally, without thinking, due to the perfect setup. Only after he said it did he realize he was falling back into dangerous territory. He shouldn't tease. Teasing led to flirting. Flirting led to touching. And touching led to kissing someone else's straight boyfriend. He cleared his throat, wondering how to prematurely dissipate the awkward atmosphere before it even had time to settle.

“Just kidding,” he ended up saying. “I'm average.”

Silence.

'What the fuck?' Jimin thought to himself. 'What the fuck did I just say?'

His eyes widened in slight mortification as he realized what had just come out of his mouth and the fact that he hadn't helped the situation at all; he had only worsened it.

He didn't dare to look up at Jungkook, wanting only to disappear into the couch but the sound of laughter caused him to abandon his plans. He looked up to see Jungkook's face brightened by a bout of mirth that had overtaken him, his mouth split into a wide grin and his eyes crinkled as he doubled over with laughter.

Jimin couldn't help but to feel a smile pulling at his own lips in spite of himself, but he fought it. “Don't laugh,” he said. When Jungkook ignored his demand and only laughed harder, Jimin found himself feeling indignant. “Don't laugh!” he demanded again. “How big is yours?”

'Goddamnit!' Jimin internally berated himself right after the words left his mouth. 'Stop it!' Sometimes he wished he could pull his own lips off.

The question seemed to sober Jungkook up a bit. But he only glanced at Jimin shyly once before a proud smirk came over his face. “Big enough,” he replied.

Jimin gulped. 'Abort topic! Abort topic!' His mind screamed at him.

Jimin narrowed his eyes. “Bang PD-nim threatened to throw both of our asses out on the street if you mess up again so be careful with how you act from now on,” Jimin threatened out of nowhere.

But it worked.

Jungkook's confident smile dropped and a repentant expression crossed his face. “I know, hyung. I'm sorry. I won't do it again.”

Jimin cleared his throat. “Good,” he said before standing up from the couch. “I'm gonna go to bed. You can either sleep here or in the guest bedroom. Which do you prefer?”

Jungkook frowned. “I'll sleep here, I guess.”

“Okay. Let me know if you need a glass of water or anything. Just yell. I'll hear you.”

“Okay.”

“Great. Good night.”

Jimin escaped to his bedroom.

* * *

**Jungkook's POV:**

Jungkook was proud of himself.

He had managed to monopolize all of Jimin's free time for an entire week, which meant no meetups with Ryu Won. Their schedule helped since it was already pretty full but everytime he could, Jungkook was asking Jimin for help with extra dance practices, drawing him into a heated discussion that caused the older man to lose track of time, or asking to be taken out to eat because he had missed a meal.

He was surprised that Jimin kept indulging him but what he found even more surprising was the fact that he never grew tired of the other man's presence. Instead, he grew more desirous of it – wanting to know more and more about Park Jimin everyday. He felt like an insatiable leech, continuously wanting to feed off of everything Jimin while never getting full.

And everything was going according to plan. Until today.

Jimin and Jungkook were leaving their event at one a.m. when Jimin received a text message from the driver to meet them in the parking garage next to them instead of out on the street. Jungkook thought it was weird until he realized why they had received such a request.

When they reached the parking garage, Jimin approached the black van and slid open the back door only to be greeted by a car full of flowers and a grinning Ryu Won.

Jungkook scowled.

Of course. Ryu Won had apparently managed to convince their driver to do him a favor somehow. The parking garage was more private than the street, so no fans or passersby would see the event he had planned.

Jungkook stepped up beside Jimin, pressing himself into his space, reminding him he was there.

“Oh? What's this?” Jimin asked, looking at all of the flowers with surprise etched on his face.

Jungkook examined the flowers. They weren't that pretty. He could make a better selection. If he wanted.

“Flowers,” Ryu Won said, that smile still on his face. “I know how much you like this kind of stuff.”

He did? Jungkook looked over to study Jimin's facial expression. He was just looking at the array of flowers in confusion; he didn't seem that excited. Jungkook felt pleased with that. “Where's he gonna put all of these?” he found himself asking, butting into the moment, before he could even stop himself.

Ryu Won looked over at him as if realizing someone else was there for the first time. “Hey,” he said, bowing his head slightly – Jungkook didn't return the gesture. “We haven't met each other formally. I'm Ryu Won, Jimin's boyfriend.” He held his hand out for Jungkook to shake.

Jungkook shook it briefly before taking his hand back. “Boyfriend?” he asked, still unable to keep his thoughts to himself. “I thought you two broke up.”

“We did,” Jimin said, before Ryu Won could say anything. “That's why I'm so surprised by the flowers.” He was speaking more to Ryu Won than Jungkook. “I never expected something like this from you.”

Ryu Won turned his attention back to Jimin as well. “Well...” He brushed the hairs at the back of his head.

'At least he has the decency to look ashamed,' Jungkook thought.

“I wanted to try something different this time around,” Ryu Won said.

“This time around?”

“This time around?”

Jimin and Jungkook asked the question at the same time. Jimin glanced over at Jungkook in confusion, probably wondering why he was neck deep in his business but Jungkook ignored him and stayed focused on Ryu Won. “What do you mean this time around?” he asked.

Ryu Won glanced at Jungkook questioningly. “Uhh...” he focused back in on Jimin. “Can we go somewhere to talk?”

Jungkook heard the underlying implication. 'Can we go somewhere to talk without this other man here?'

“Uhh...Sure,” Jimin said, turning back to Ryu Won.

A weight of displeasure settled in Jungkook's stomach. “How am I supposed to get back, hyung?” Jungkook asked quickly. The one transport van is all they had taken out for today, so it was a real concern. But it was also a good excuse for Jimin not to leave with Ryu Won.

But Ryu Won had a solution. Of course he did. Jungkook scowled as he spoke. “Jimin can come with me in my van,” he said. “I wouldn't leave you stranded like that, Jungkook-ssi. What kind of person do you think I am?”

Jungkook scrunched his nose, choosing not to answer that question.

But it was settled.

Ryu Won was taking Jimin wherever he was going to take him in the van he had arrived in while Jungkook was stuck heading back in the van full of flowers that were emanating such a sickly sweet smell that they were making Jungkook a little nauseous. So he stopped the driver somewhere along their way back to throw each one of the arrangements into a large, industrial sized trash can. When he got back inside, the smell of flowers was still there but much fainter.

Jungkook inhaled, satisfied. A little.

* * *

Jimin never asked about what happened to the flowers. And Jungkook never felt guilty about keeping the secret about what he had done. It was all water under the bridge.

Especially when Jungkook found out in the next couple of days that Jimin had ended things with Ryu Won. For good this time. He said it was because, “He tried to act like he was my boyfriend again. But I can never trust him to be that. Not anymore.”

Jungkook had tried to keep a silly grin off of his face for the rest of that day. He wasn't sure how well he succeeded.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin ran along the shore of one of Jeju's beautiful beaches with his arms outstretched and a grin on his face. With the beautiful weather the wind blowing through his hair and a handsome man chasing him, he felt like he was on vacation.

Too bad the handsome man was a straight man and the vacation was actually work, but...it was close enough.

A cameraman and photographer ran alongside him, capturing images for a photobook they would be providing fans with at their next fanmeeting.

He felt arms wrap around his middle and hoist him off of his feet, causing unhindered laughter to burst from his lips. When Jungkook sat him down, he didn't hesitate to engage in a game of water splashing – the objective being to cause one player to get wetter than the other but the result being that every game only resulted in two soaked losers.

Jimin laughed again and coughed salt water out of his mouth when Jungkook tackled him right as the waves were coming in.

“All right! That's good!” the photographer yelled. “You two can go dry off. We can meet back up later to review the photos.”

Jungkook got to his feet and pulled Jimin up along with him, both still smiling. Until the photographer cut them off, Jimin had almost forgot that this was all just work. He had been happy. Happier than he had been in a long while when working.

It was six months into his partnership with Jungkook and he was wondering why he had ever opposed the idea in the first place. It was much more fun to work closely with someone. With a friend. It was nice to share successes and even failures with someone. It wasn't as lonely.

Jimin and Jungkook went inside the oceanfront condo rented for them by BigHit to wash up and adorn themselves with dry clothing. When they were done, they went to a nearby restaurant to grab something to eat. They made sure to occupy a table on the outdoor patio provided by the establishment so they could take in the Jeju sun for as long as possible.

“It's pretty here,” Jungkook said with a huge smile after he ordered, setting his menu aside.

“Is it your first time here?” Jimin asked.

Jungkook nodded.

Jimin forgot sometimes that it hadn't been that long since Jungkook left his small hometown in Busan. He nodded, smiling as he watched Jungkook look around in awed happiness at all of his surroundings. When he found himself staring just a little too long, he quickly changed his focus. And his eyes caught a man on the beach rubbing sunscreen over himself; his eyes didn't waver when Jimin's met his and a smile lifted his lips before he finally broke the gaze and rejoined a conversation he was having with a woman who was laid out on a blanket at his feet.

“That guy is checking me out,” he said aloud, proud. He always got a rush of pleasure from gaining someone's attention. He rubbed his hand through his hair and ran his tongue over his lips.

“Who?” Jungkook asked, straining his neck to look around wildly.

“God, don't make it obvious!” Jimin said, kicking Jungkook in his shin underneath the table.

“Ow!” Jungkook protested, rubbing his shin as Jimin discreetly nodded over towards the man he was talking about. Jungkook followed his eyeline and then looked back at Jimin. He shook his head. “No way, hyung,” he said. “That guy is straight.”

Jimin lifted an eyebrow. “How do you know?”

“He's with his girlfriend!”

“One...” Jimin said, leaning forward. “You don't know if that's his girlfriend. Two...Even if it is, that doesn't mean anything. Plenty of gay men have girlfriends. It's a great cover.”

Both men turned back to see the girl stand up from her beach towel and lean in to give the man a kiss on his lips. Jungkook raised a victorious brow in Jimin's direction to which Jimin scoffed at. “Like I said...it doesn't mean anything. Watch this.”

Jimin leaned back in his seat and stared at the man with purpose. When the girl walked away, the man looked up to meet Jimin's eyes. Jimin pulled his mouth into an enticing smirk, pushed his hand through his hair, and then swiped his tongue across his plump lips. The message of interest was clear. Jungkook watched in surprise as the man – who had muscles for days – smiled like a shy schoolgirl and lifted his hand to Jimin as if to say 'hi'.

Jimin waved back before turning back to face Jungkook with a lift of his eyebrows. “See?”

“I bet he was just being friendly,” Jungkook said, refusing to give in. “He doesn't even know that you were hitting on him.”

“Oh yeah?” Jimin challenged. “I bet I get his number before we leave here.”

“You're on!” Jungkook shouted, his competitive spirit ignited. “Loser buys lunch.”

Jungkook wound up buying lunch when not even fifteen minutes later the man came over to start a “casual” conversation but not leaving until he had written his number down on Jimin's napkin. And Jimin wound up procuring glasses of water for Jungkook after he tore the piece of the napkin with the number on it and pushed it into his mouth, swallowing it and almost choking, before Jimin could even save the number into his phone. And they both wound up having a bit too much to drink that night and falling asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

The next morning – morning being more like noon – the two woke up, conferred on which photos they wanted in the photobook and then went back down to the beach before they would have to leave the island.

They sat in a small alcove on the edge of the beach formed by a wall of large rocks on three sides, the only opening being an opening in the front towards the ocean.

Jungkook took his camera out of the small camera case he had brought down to the beach with him and began to take photos of Jimin, who immediately began to pose for him almost like it was second nature.

“Are you not afraid sand will get into your camera?” Jimin asked while he indulged Jungkook's faux photographer whims.

“No,” Jungkook answered. “If any gets inside, I'll just clean it out. Take off your shirt.”

“What?” Jimin asked, scandalized. He crossed his arms over his chest. “What kind of pictures are you trying to take?”

Jimin was currently wearing a t-shirt and shorts, the slight chill of the weather prompting for more skin coverage than what the usual beach attire would entail.

Jungkook laughed at Jimin's reaction but didn't back down. He instead started a playful chant of, “Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!” When Jimin, with a growing smile, stood and grabbed the hem of his shirt, Jungkook let out a cheer.

Jimin laughed and shook his head at Jungkook's silly antics, but he finished hoisting the shirt over his head. “What am I doing?” he laughed, amazed at himself for indulging Jungkook's off-the-cuff behavior. But he found himself further following Jungkook's instructions when he told him to go stand against the large rock wall behind them. Jungkook was already readied with the camera pressed to his eye.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked Jungkook.

“Anything,” the younger man responded.

Jimin thought for a moment and then just spread his arms out against the rock wall behind him and tilted his head back with a seductive look in his eye. Skin stretched over lightly defined muscles as he moved.

“Wow, sexy!” Jungkook encouraged, quickly snapping photos.

Jimin couldn't keep laughter from bubbling from his lips. Partly because he felt a little silly but also because he couldn't deny that Jungkook's praise left him feeling a little giddy. He sobered up and stepped into another pose, exuding the same aura, which resulted in more compliments from Jungkook. “Sexy, hyung!” the younger man exclaimed. “You're a natural.”

Jimin continued to pose, egged on by the compliments that continued to rain from Jungkook's lips. Jimin honestly could have stayed their all day under Jungkook's gaze while flattering words were lavished on him. Each positive word kept him charged like a battery does electronics. It didn't help that somewhere along the line, Jungkook's words stopped holding a hint of playful exaggeration but instead became almost reverent. It made Jimin think that Jungkook believed everything he said about him.

* * *

**Jungkook's POV:**

There were things Jungkook grew to love.

He loved the way Jimin's eyes followed him around. He loved the way the older man praised him any time he could to anyone who would listen. And he loved the way all of his touches caused some kind of reaction in the other man, whether it was a shiver, a look of desire, or a tensing of muscles. He was always rewarded with a reaction.

He loved the way he could kiss Jimin if he wanted to.

But he didn't want to, of course.

Because he wasn't gay.

But he definitely enjoyed having the knowledge that Jimin wanted him. It was a certainty that he suspected and then grew more and more sure of as each day passed. Ever since the night of the kiss.

He leaned against the vanity Jimin was stationed in front of as the older man fussed with his hair for the thousandth time, giving it a mussed yet stylish look. Jungkook loved his hair. He loved how Jimin always sported bold colors in his strands. It wasn't something Jungkook was confident enough to try and pull off time and time again. He lifted his hand and pushed it gently through Jimin's locks. It was only when Jimin released a soft intake of breath that Jungkook realized he had actually acted on his impulse and that his hand was buried in the strands of Jimin's hair. He didn't pull back, rationalizing that he had already started so it would be strange to snatch his hand back at that moment.

“Can I come back to your place tonight?” he asked instead, continuing to stroke his hand through Jimin's hair.

“Why do you always want to come back to my place?” Jimin asked. But Jungkook knew he was just making a pointless fuss. He knew the older man was going to say yes. “I should start charging you rent at this point. You're practically my roommate.”

“Have you seen my place, hyung?” Jungkook asked. He began to intentionally try to mess up Jimin's hair. “Of course I want to stay with you.” Jimin allowed him to wreck any styling he had done previously. Strands of hair fell wildly against Jimin's eyelashes, making him look like a shaggy dog. Jungkook snickered.

“Haven't you earned enough to rent a new place by now?” Jimin asked. “Why are you staying in that shabby dorm?”

“So I can keep staying over at your place,” Jungkook answered.

Jimin laughed and hit Jungkook's chest. “You brat.”

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin wasn't naive.

He knew this song and dance.

Flirtation with a self-proclaimed straight man. It never ended well. Jungkook running away in the middle of their promotions had been a prime example. But here Jimin was again, letting Jungkook cross lines that he should definitely be drawing. But Jimin just couldn't help it.

Jungkook was a cute mouse and Jimin just loved to play cat.

So after swearing it off for weeks now, he allowed himself to touch again. With such tempting bait placed in front of him, how could he not?

He looped each of his index fingers through the belt loops jutting out from Jungkook's jeans at either side of his hips. “You should take responsibility,” he said lowly, looking up through his eyelashes at Jungkook's steadily reddening face now that Jimin was turning the tables on him.

“F-for what?” Jungkook stuttered out.

“My love life,” Jimin answered, jerking Jungkook forward by the belt loops. “Ever since you latched onto me, I haven't been able to bring anybody home.”

Jungkook felt the world tilt beneath his feet. Or at least he thought he did. Jimin hadn't been this direct with him since the night of their disastrous kiss. Jungkook felt both a thrill of excitement and a jolt of panic shoot through his stomach. But he remained as casual as he could when he gripped Jimin's wrist gently and softly shook it, trying to get the other man to release his grip. Jimin's hold on him caused him to feel a little too...vulnerable. But Jimin didn't let go. He kept his fingers hooked around Jungkook's jeans and smiled innocently up at him.

“That's not my fault,” Jungkook said, finally managing to unhook one of Jimin's fingers. “But what kind of man do you want to date? I'll hook you up.” He held Jimin's hand to keep his fingers from straying again.

Jimin giggled at Jungkook's words. “Umm...” He tried to think past the sensation of Jungkook playing with his fingers. “My ideal man is...tall.”

“Mmhmm,” Jungkook acknowledged with a nod.

“Muscular.”

“Nice.”

“Interested in music like I am. Able to take care of me. But not afraid to be silly. Cute. But handsome when he wants to be. A little bit shy. Talented...”

“Hyung, no one is all of those things. You have impossible standards.”

Jimin chuckled softly. “Do I?”

“Yeah. I-”

“Park Jimin-ssi?”

Jungkook dropped Jimin's hand and hurriedly stepped away when a production assistant popped his head into the room to inform Jimin that they were ready for him on set. They were shooting their second music video.

“Okay,” Jimin said to him. “I'll be right there.” He turned back to Jungkook. “You can go ahead to my place and I'll meet you there. You still have the passcode right?” He had given Jungkook the code to his apartment a few weeks ago since Jungkook liked to come there so much.

But Jungkook shook his head to Jimin's suggestion. “No,” he said. “I'll wait for you.”

“I don't know how long I'll be,” Jimin warned.

“That's okay.”

“Okay. Thanks, Jungkookie.”

Jimin knew it was never smart to get entangled with a straight man...

When he came out of the studio, almost collapsing from weariness after his last couple of hours of filming alone, he stumbled to the van and slid the door open only to see Jungkook still there as he said he would be – seated next to the window with his head lolling against the seat, asleep.

Jimin stepped inside and closed the door behind him completely forgoing the other empty sitting spaces to make his way over to Jungkook and curl himself onto his lap. Jungkook, surprisingly, didn't wake up. He grabbed a nearby blanket and threw it over the both of them before lying against Jungkook's shoulder, placing his nose in the crook of his neck. It was comfortable – as if he was made to fit against Jungkook's body – and warm. He closed his eyes and almost immediately fell asleep.

...If it was for Jungkook, he was willing to be a little dumb.

Jimin was so tired that he hadn't noticed that they had a different driver than their normal driver. He didn't have time to greet him. Or notice that he was staring pointedly at the two men in the rear view mirror.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Jungkook and Jimin both have sort of picked up on the others interest; now they're gonna start playing a game that will probably end up hurting both of them in the end. Hmmm... Author's Tidbit here that I don't think I'll outwardly state in the story: It's no coincidence that Jimin 1) started back up again with Ryu Won right after Jungkook left and then 2) completely broke it off with him again once Jungkook was back. Jimin will never admit it at this point but he's already a bit unhealthily fixated on the "straight" man in his life.
> 
> Also, yes, that last sentence - that driver - is definitely gonna complicate things. Just...not immediately. The fallout will come when you least expect it. What fallout? Guess you'll just have to keep reading to see.
> 
> Also also, one of my readers informed me that it's against the rules to outwardly promote the fact that I write for $$$ here so come see me on Tumblr or Twitter to find out what I'm all about.  
> Tumblr: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/   
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/LazyGirlWrites


	13. Teasing, Flirting, Touching, Kissing Someone Else's Straight Boyfriend...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, BangtanBoysPins for the support (I got your username right this time). I hope you enjoy this one!
> 
> Also, thank you as well anon, your chapter will be coming soon as well. I tried to get both chapters finished within this week since you both ordered a new chapter around the same time but it wasn't possible due to other things going on in my life so your chapter - Chapter 14 - will be coming within the next week!

**Seon Woo's POV:**

Seon Woo was a good girlfriend.

She was kind, patient, understanding.

But she couldn't help but to worry. Things were changing and she felt it.

The video calls she and Jungkook shared used to be daily things. Then they became weekly. Then bi-weekly. And now it was bi-weekly...sometimes. Their talks had become irregular and scheduling to talk had become full of 'maybe's instead of 'definitely's.

She tried not to allow herself to get sad because she knew that he was busy. But she couldn't help the gnawing in the back of her mind that was telling her he had been busy ever since going to Seoul, yet he still used to make time for her. Now there was barely anything.

Seon Woo continued to go through a series of yoga poses in her bedroom, trying to clear her mind of negative thoughts. 'I'll just talk to him about this the next time we talk to each other,' she thought. 'No big deal.'

'No big deal at all.'

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin was lying on his back on a floor mat while Taehyung suffered beside him, trying in vain to lift weights that were much too heavy. A pained grunt left Taehyung's mouth and Jimin glanced over to make sure he hadn't pulled anything.

“You okay?” he asked.

Taehyung grunted again, but no matter how loud or long his vocal exhalations were, it didn't aide his physical prowess any. The weighted bar he was trying to lift didn't budge. He released a defeated breath and let his arms fall to his sides. “No,” he said. “It would help if my _friend_ -” he threw a pointed look in Jimin's direction. “Was actually helping me instead of scrolling through his phone.”

“How would that help?” Jimin asked, not even looking over at him. He had just received a text message notification from Jungkook and he hurriedly clicked on it. “I said I'd come as moral support, not as your workout buddy.”

Taehyung scowled when Jimin giggled at whatever was on his phone. “Whatever,” he said. “You're a bad friend. What are you doing anyway?”

“Talking to someone,” Jimin answered.

“Who?” Taehyung asked. “Boyfriend.”

“No.” Jimin scrunched up his face as he answered, conveying that that was the most ridiculous thing he had heard in a while. “Jungkook.”

“Oh. Ohh! Hmm.”

Jimin furrowed his brow in confusion at Taehyung's weird response. “What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Taehyung responded with a small shake of his head.

Jimin narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. “It's obviously something. What is it? What did that 'ohh' mean?”

“Nothing,” Taehyung said again. “It's just that you get that goofy smile on your face that you used to get when Ryu Won texted you.”

Jimin's brows furrowed again and he sat up to focus more on his friend. “So?”

“So...” Taehyung shrugged. “I don't know. Seems like you kind of like him.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “Of course I like him. He's my duo partner and he's fun to be around. He's my dongsaeng.”

“You know what I mean,” Taehyung said with a quirk of his eyebrow. “It seems like you like him like him.”

Jimin scoffed. “Don't be ridiculous. You're getting all that from me smiling at a text? I smile when I get a text from you too, and I definitely don't like you!”

Taehyung shrugged and laid back down underneath his weight. “Fine,” he said. “I won't argue with you about it. Come help me buff up for this commercial audition. I don't wanna lose out to that freaking beast, Taecyeon, anymore.”

But Jimin didn't move. He was still distracted by Taehyung's accusation. “Besides...” he said. “Jungkook is straight.”

Taehyung placed his hands on the weight and attempted to lift it. Nothing. “I thought you said you didn't like him.”

“I don't.”

“Then why does it matter whether he's straight or not?”

“It doesn't. I was just saying.”

A silence falls between the two, punctuated only by Taehyung's attempts to lift.

“But...” Jimin continued. “I kind of feel like he would have sex with me?”

Taehyung laughed and gave up on his failed attempts for a moment. He sat up and looked at his friend. “What?”

“I kind of feel like he's into me,” Jimin said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“So you think he's closeted?”

“Maybe. I don't know. I don't know what he is.” He sighed. “Straight people are weird.”

Taehyung nodded in agreement. “Well, what makes you think he's interested in you in that way?”

“He flirts with me. A lot.”

“Like what? Are you sure it's flirting?”

“Yeah. Lay down here.” Jimin pointed Taehyung to a spot on the floor. Taehyung got up and laid down where Jimin instructed and Jimin laid beside him. “Do your bro friends do this to you?” He slid his hand under Taehyung's shirt and began to stroke his fingers slowly across the skin of Taehyung's abdomen. Jimin ignored the strange looks they were getting from a couple of muscle laden guys across the room.

“Umm...Nope...” Taehyung said as Jimin began to gently trail his fingernails against his friend's skin. “Nope.” Taehyung concluded. “I can say for certain that this is not bro behavior.” He sat up; Jimin followed him. “He did this to you?”

Jimin nodded. “The fingernails and everything. When we were lying in bed.”

“That's more than flirting! He was trying to seduce you!”

“Right!” Jimin agreed with a strong clap of his hands together. He was happy to know he wasn't crazy for thinking these things. “That's what I thought.”

“So what are you going to do?”

Jimin shrugged again. “Nothing.”

“Why not? Jungkook is cute. Why don't you see how far he'll let you go?” Taehyung raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

“I can't,” Jimin said regretfully. “He has a girlfriend. And we work together. And the last time I kissed him he ran all the way back to Busan.”

“You kissed him?!” Taehyung asked, his eyes wide.

“Yeah. I kissed him after he touched me like I just showed you.”

Taehyung laughed. “Ah, I see. But he ran away?”

“Yep. Back home to Mommy.”

Taehyung laughed, most likely imagining a wide-eyed Jungkook literally running all the way back to Busan. It was an amusing image.

“What's your take on it?” Jimin asked. “As a straight man.”

“Sounds like he's confused,” Taehyung said immediately. Jimin listened intently. “Now that you said something, I do think that he's into you because – of the times that we've all hung out together – he stares at you like you're a Van Gogh painting or something. And he's always sticking to your side. But you're probably his first man crush so he's in denial. He's probably hoping it'll just go away.”

“...Will it?” Jimin asked cautiously.

“I don't know,” Taehyung said. “It _could_ be just an ego boost for him to think that he can seduce a man. I say this as a straight man. We can be the worst. I know I was _extremely_ flattered when you first came out as gay and told me you used to crush on me. My head inflated like a helium balloon. I don't know what it is but getting a gay man to drool over us is just validation for how hot we are.”

Jimin was looking at Taehyung with his lip curled in disgust. “That's so unattractive.”

“Well...” Taehyung lifted his shoulders. “Just being honest.”

“So he's either into me or the ego boost I give him. Great. How do I tell the difference?”

“You don't. Because you don't care. Because you're not going to do anything. Remember?”

“Right. Yeah. Of course.”

* * *

Jimin hated himself.

With Taehyung's confirmation that it did, in fact, seem like Jungkook was into him, he only took the flirtation to a new level.

“Your biceps are huge,” Jimin said. They were seated on his couch and watching a movie – a habit that they had formed after most days when they were able to get a break and go back home. When they weren't moving from hotel room to hotel room or only able to catch naps as they were moving from venue to venue in their van. Once again, Jimin had ignored his many messages from friends asking him to go out drinking in favor of staying in with Jungkook instead. His social life was taking a hit but he was getting somewhere with Jungkook. Where, he didn't know. But somewhere.

His hand was currently wrapped around Jungkook's upper arm and that was when he declared his observation and a small, gray blanket laid across the two men's laps.

Jungkook kept his eyes on the television screen but Jimin could see the small smirk that appeared on his face due to the brightness of the flickering images on his 42-inch.

Jimin didn't want him to get too smug so he followed up with: “It's a little strange paired with your baby boy face.” He pinched Jungkook's cheek just as the younger's face fell into a scowl.

“I'm not a baby,” Jungkook said.

“You look like one.” Jimin pinched harder on Jungkook's skin before Jungkook pulled his face away.

“Watch the movie, hyung,” he said with a pout.

“I'd rather watch you.” Jimin said, a mischievous smile pulling at his lips.

“Don't, hyung.” Jungkook's words came out shyly.

“Don't what? Don't watch you?”

“Just...don't.”

Jimin felt tension in Jungkook's body where his hand rested and the television screen illuminated wide, almost-frightened eyes. Jimin pouted. Maybe he had taken it far enough for tonight. He pulled away and turned towards the screen to focus on the movie, his legs pulled onto the couch and crossed underneath him and his hands resting in his lap.

He didn't even know what movie they were watching. But he tried to get into it. He thought he was starting to figure out the plot when he felt something touch his finger. It startled him and almost caused him to jump out of his skin but a glance downwards let him know that it was just Jungkook's hand touching his own.

Jimin froze, confused. His focus immediately shifted from trying to unravel the plot of the movie to trying to unravel the mysteries of what was happening in his own home.

He glanced over at Jungkook, looking for some kind of answer. Maybe Jungkook wanted something. Maybe he didn't realize his hand was in Jimin's lap instead of his own. Maybe...Jimin didn't know. And he got nothing from Jungkook who still seemed to be focused on the screen. So Jimin turned back to face the screen as well.

Weird.

Jimin tried to pick up where he left off in regards to what exactly he was watching, but it was hard to pay attention to anything except the brief amount of contact the back of his hand was making with Jungkook's. He didn't move and hardly breathed, afraid that anything sudden would cause Jungkook to pull away. And he didn't want that whether Jungkook's hand placement was an accident or not.

Jimin's thigh burned from where Jungkook's forearm rested heavily atop it. The blanket provided no barrier to the heat. It may as well have been one-ply toilet paper.

Eventually, Jimin felt Jungkook move again by only the slightest hair. So slight that he thought it may have just been his imagination or an involuntary twitch on Jungkook's part. But when it happened again and again, Jimin knew he wasn't imagining it.

Jungkook's hand brushed against his own with purpose. A timid purpose that was causing Jimin great confusion. But purpose all the same.

He put his attention back on the screen, letting Jungkook do as he would. It wasn't until Jungkook managed to hook his finger around his that he finally had some idea of what the younger man's goal was.

'He wants to hold my hand?' Jimin wondered.

He let Jungkook clumsily play with his fingers for a few more minutes before he got a little impatient. He extracted his hand from the tangled mess Jungkook had gotten them into and directly took Jungkook's hand, palm pressed firmly against palm.

He felt tension in Jungkook's body again but the younger man didn't move away. And with each passing second that the world didn't end, the tension released from his body.

Jungkook moved their hands beneath the blanket, letting them rest clasped between their bodies, before he interlaced their fingers.

Jimin held his breath and he could almost sense that Jungkook was doing the same. They had held hands before, sure. But somehow this felt...different.

* * *

**Jimin and Jungkook's POV:**

“Can I sleep with you tonight, hyung?”

Jimin knew it was a bad idea. But then again, everything he had been doing in regards to Jungkook had been a bad idea lately. So what was one more misstep?

That's the reasoning that allowed Jungkook – who had been relegated to the couch or the guest room ever since his runaway trip to Busan – to climb back into Jimin's bed. Jungkook snuggled under the covers and held back a content sigh. For some reason, the sheets on Jimin's bed felt so much better than the sheets in the guest room. They were warmer too.

The lights were snuffed, plummeting everything into darkness and then silence settled. But something told Jimin that it wouldn't be for long. Darkness always seemed to embolden Jungkook, making him more talkative. Jimin had figured this out a while ago when he had managed to get Jungkook to talk about one of his most embarrassing moments which involved vomit, a public presentation, and his favorite teacher's desk.

And, sure enough, after a few more seconds, Jungkook's voice piped up. “Hyung.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you not want cuddles?”

Jimin was silent for a while, considering whether he wanted to take Jungkook up on his obvious invitation or not. The last time he had taken an invitation and ran with it, the younger man had fled. Literally.

But Jimin felt he was beginning to figure out how Jungkook operated. Jungkook was much like his cat Mina when he had first bought her as a kitten. When he had first brought her home, Mina wouldn't come to Jimin no matter how much he tried to coax out from beneath couches or behind dressers or out of hidden corners. He had to wait until she approached him. Once he did that, he found that Mina kept coming to him from then on.

Not that he _wanted_ Jungkook to keep playing with him like this. No, not at all.

Jimin turned over on his side to face Jungkook and then moved closer until he was curled against his side, his arm draped across Jungkook's abdomen.

Jungkook released the contented sigh he had been holding in.

“...Hyung.”

“Hmm?”

“...I watched gay porn.”

Jimin went through a range of emotions in about ten seconds after Jungkook's declaration. First was surprise at the sudden topic and then confusion about why he was mentioning his porn choices in the first place and then pure amusement because Jungkook was just so unbelievable. He had to hold back a laugh. “Okay?” he said. “And?”

“It looks painful,” Jungkook said.

Jimin laughed. “Why are you bringing this up, Jungkook?”

“Because I'm curious.”

“Curious about gay sex...”

“Yeah. ...It's not weird or anything. I'm just naturally curious. My mom always told me so. I just like to know things.”

Jimin smiled. “I didn't say it was weird.” Jimin was silent for yet another moment, thinking of the best way to approach this. There were two sides that were battling in his mind. His I'm-interested-in-this-man-and-I-want-to-fuck-him side and his I-want-to-maintain-a-healthy-friendship-and-business-relationship-with-this-man side.

His want-to-fuck-him side won.

“Jungkook...” Jimin said, his voice low and seductive. “I told you I can always show you what it's like if you really want to know.”

He swore he could almost hear Jungkook's heart pounding in his chest like a scared rabbit.

“I'm not gay, hyung.”

“I know,” Jimin said exasperated. “I caught that the last few hundred times you said it. But you don't have to be gay to experiment. People do it all the time.”

Jungkook shifted a little, probably uncomfortable. Jimin involuntarily and immediately tightened his hold on him, not wanting him to run away like last time. But Jungkook didn't attempt to leave the bed or Jimin's hold.

“...I don't think my girlfriend would like that very much,” Jungkook finally said.

Jimin considered it a small victory that the other man dismissed the idea due to the fact that he was taken and not some other homophobic reasoning that he had been known to blurt in the past. Progress.

Jimin figured he should take the win and not push it but since when had Jimin ever listened to his more reasonable self?

“So you would have sex with me if you didn't have a girlfriend?” he asked boldly.

“What?” Jungkook asked. He suddenly felt a little sweaty and nervous. His heart sped up in his chest. It felt strangely like the beginnings of an anxiety attack. He chuckled nervously, hoping Jimin would let the question pass unanswered.

Luckily he did.

Jimin physically felt the tension pass through Jungkook's body so he changed the subject. “How _is_ your girlfriend? I haven't seen you FaceTime her the past few nights.”

“Oh shoot. You're right.” Jungkook's anxiety spiked for a completely different reason at this realization. “I need to call her soon.”

Jimin fought the slight twinge of sadness and envy he felt at the thought of Jungkook's committed relationship. He then felt like a horrible person for being anything less than happy for his friend for even one second. “You better,” he said, to mask what he was feeling. “Or else she'll be upset.”

“I should invite her here and spend the day with her or something.”

“Yeah, you should. Then you can get out of my hair for a while.”

With the playful air returning, Jungkook frowned and turned to face Jimin, hugging him tight against himself. “No,” he said with exaggerated sadness. “I'm never leaving you alone.”

Jimin tried to wriggle free. “Brat.”

“That's dongsaeng to you.” Jungkook ruffled Jimin's hair roughly. “Or maybe I'm the hyung.” He fisted some of Jimin's hair and pulled.

“Ah!” Jimin shouted with shock and slight arousal as his head was pulled back against the pillow to expose his neck. Did Jungkook realize how sexual hair pulling in bed was? Sometimes he wasn't sure if Jungkook was really innocent or just pretending to be naive. He gripped Jungkook's shirt in his hands and tried to focus on willing an erection not to grow. “Let go,” he warned Jungkook between gritted teeth.

Jungkook's heart pounded in his chest. He wasn't sure why he always got like this with Jimin, where all of this bridled primal energy came from but it wasn't the first time that he felt almost beastly in his desire to play. He could definitely say in all of his times rough housing with his brother as they were growing up, it had never looked quite like this. But he didn't want to stop. Not when Jimin was writhing beneath him and whining. That only made him want to play harder.

“Make me,” he taunted.

Jimin attempted to roll his body to throw Jungkook back on his side of the bed but that only prompted Jungkook to tighten his grip in Jimin's hair and press his body down harder against Jimin's, pinning him to the bed. He slid his thigh between Jimin's legs to make Jimin lose whatever purchase he had gained by planting his feet.

Jimin groaned in the back of his throat as Jungkook's thigh pressed between his legs.

“Jungkook,” Jimin warned again, his voice coming out choked. “Let me go right now.”

“Or what?” Jungkook asked.

Jimin attempted to struggle against him, but that only made the situation worse as any movement caused him to brush against Jungkook's thigh – which was made of pure masculine muscle. Jimin's breathing grew harder. He was becoming majorly turned on.

So he was honest. “Or I'm going to come.”

Jungkook's grip on Jimin's hair finally loosened. “...What?”

Jungkook finally allowed himself to realize what kind of position they were in and his mouth opened in surprise. “Oh.”

A slightly awkward atmosphere descended on the room while Jimin waited for Jungkook to move.

But Jungkook considered something else. He cleared his throat before speaking. “You can...umm...I don't care if you...you know...” His voice was low, barely audible in the deathly quiet room.

“...Huh?” Jimin asked, wondering if he had misunderstood.

“You can...you know...do whatever...” Jungkook mumbled again, not being any clearer than he had been the first time around. But Jimin was pretty sure he understood.

“I'm not going to hump your leg like a dog,” Jimin said. “I'm not that desperate.”

“Oh...That's not what I meant. I was just...I- Never mind.” Jungkook began to pull away to turn over onto his side but Jimin stopped him.

Maybe he was that desperate.

“Only because I haven't gotten any in a little while,” he said.

Jungkook nodded hurriedly. “Yeah. It's no big deal.”

Jungkook's heart pounded in his chest as he felt Jimin's hands squeeze around his thigh, holding him in place. 'Right,' he thought. 'It's no big deal. It's just you helping a friend out because you've been getting in the way of his dating life. No big deal at all.'

He ignored the suspicious signs of arousal he felt in his own body.

But when Jimin began to rut slowly against his thigh, that became a hard – pretty much impossible – task. He felt his body begin to react immediately. 'It's no big deal,' he repeated as a mantra in his mind. He conjured up the memory of a couple of guys he knew in high school who talked about how they masturbated together when watching porn. It was no big deal. Completely common between guys. Completely natural.

Jimin's breathing grew into pants as he began to rut more firmly against Jungkook's thigh. His fingers dug into the muscles he could feel beneath the soft fabric of Jungkook's black pajama sweat pants. He was a little embarrassed by how hard he was at the simple act of humping a guy's leg, but he was getting too much pleasure from the act to care.

Small moans began to slip from Jimin's lips and that didn't help Jungkook's fight against his arousal. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to ignore the sounds. That didn't work. The panting and the moaning, the thought of Jimin getting himself off on him and bringing himself to that point...Jungkook slapped a hand over Jimin's mouth, wanting to quiet him. But that had the opposite effect. Jimin released a guttural growl and held tighter onto Jimin's thigh as he grinded against him. Jimin was holding onto him so hard that Jungkook was sure he would have fingerprint sized bruises in the morning.

A small whimper came from somewhere. It sounded different than the noises Jimin was making. Jungkook's eyes flew open when he realized it was him. He didn't have much time to be surprised, though, because Jimin nipped his hand – causing him to remove it from his mouth.

Before Jungkook could react, Jimin had turned toward him and pulled him into a full-bodied embrace. Jungkook's leg was completely sandwiched between Jimin's own but they were now more pelvis-to-pelvis than anything. And Jimin's sweet moans were now directly in his ear. Jungkook could feel his breath on his neck.

“Jimin!” he gasped out, surprised and overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of pleasure and increase of intensity.

With his leg thrown over Jungkook's hips, Jimin ground against the younger man with abandon. “Jungkook,” he moaned out. He gripped Jungkook's shoulder tightly, tethering himself to reality as pleasure washed through him in waves. “Jungkook.”

Jungkook wasn't sure when he had begun meeting Jimin's thrusts with his own, but he was. His hand traveled down to Jimin's plump bottom to press him closer with each thrust. His mind had turned off and all he could focus on was the race he was having with Jimin. The race to peak pleasure.

Jimin began to kiss along his jawline. Jungkook stretched his neck to give him better access.

“Pull my hair,” Jimin whispered in his ear. His voice was broken with lust. “I liked it when you did it earlier. Pull my hair.”

Jungkook didn't need to be told twice. He buried his hand in Jimin's hair and pulled just as he had done before.

Jimin moaned loudly. “I'm gonna come. Jungkook. I'm gonna come!”

“God!” Jungkook rolled Jimin onto his back and crashed upon him like a stormy ocean meeting the shore of a beach. He thrust his hips forward, grinding wildly against a moaning Jimin.

Jimin fell apart beautifully. When he came, his lips were open on Jungkook's name and his hips stuttered with each passing wave of pleasure.

Jungkook followed him soon after, his hips jerking forward as the waves of his orgasm fell upon him. As he was coming down from his high, his forehead fell against Jimin's and they just breathed together for a moment, breathing each other in. Jimin's full lips brushed Jungkook's but he didn't dare bring it into a kiss.

And with good judgment.

He could tell the exact second when realization began to rush into Jungkook's mind. His entire body froze and he stopped breathing. Jimin stopped breathing as well, wondering what the right course of action would be to soothe a frightened deer before it-

“Jungkook, don't-!”

Jungkook ran out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

“Don't run away...” Jimin finished, knowing he could no longer be heard. He fell back against the pillows and listened desperately to see how far Jungkook went this time. A door opened and closed not one minute later. Jimin breathed a sigh of relief.

He still ran away, but he didn't run as far as Busan. Progress.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are a mess.
> 
> Leave a comment and let me know what you think. :)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr to see how you can get me to write things...  
> Tumblr link: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/
> 
> Or you can follow me on Twitter.  
> Twitter handle: @LazyGirlWrites


	14. What Happened and What's Going On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, so sorry I'm so late! I solely work as a freelancer so sometimes I have to focus on other projects, ya know? To make sure my bills are paid. And when I miss a deadline, I spiral and then get even more late. It's a mess. But anyway...yeah, here ya go, FINALLY chapter 14.
> 
> I have chapter 15 written and ready to go as well. I'll probably be posting that tomorrow. Go back and refresh your memory of the past chapter if you need to.
> 
> Thanks, anon, for the support as always.

**Seon Woo's POV:**

A seven-year-old Seon Woo stared through the glass window of a toy store. The item that had captivated her attention was a Western-looking doll dressed in a beautiful gown with long, brown hair streaming down its back. She was so transfixed that she didn't hear her parents calling for her until their exasperated voices were only inches away from her.

“Seon Woo-yah! Seon Woo-yah. Seon Woo- Oh, there you are.” Her mother stopped behind her and laid a hand on the wandering girl's shoulder. “You can't keep running off like that. This trip was supposed to only take one hour. What are you looking at?” She peered through the glass window to see what had grabbed her daughter's attention so fully.

“Mom.” Seon Woo pointed up at the doll displayed in the window. “Can I have that doll?”

Seon Woo's father appeared behind their mother. He looked exhausted and was still dressed in his policeman's uniform because he knew he would be getting called back in to work in the next hour. “What are we looking at?” he asked.

“Seon Woo wants that doll,” her mother said. Her voice held a hint of weariness and sadness.

With a heavy sigh, her father drops down to her level and turns Seon Woo to face him. “Seon Woo-yah, Mom and Dad don't have the money for this right now. Do you want to wait until Christmas?”

A frown fell upon Seon Woo's small face. “It might be gone by Christmas,” she said. “I want _that_ one.”

Seon Woo's mom and dad shared a pitiable look between the both of them when faced with the petulance of their child that they couldn't stoke by buying her what she wanted. “We can't afford it, Seon Woo,” her mother said, taking the girl's small hand in her own. This time, finality was in her voice and Seon Woo knew there would be no getting her way today. Maybe if just her father was here she could have managed it, but not with her mother. “If you want that doll, do what Mommy and Daddy do. Get a job and buy it yourself.”

“A job?” Seon Woo asked, letting herself be dragged away by her mother's tug on her hand. “What's that?”

“Doing what someone tells you to do for money,” her mother responded.

“Oh...” Seon Woo said. She didn't really understand that explanation, but she decided not to mention it. The adults seemed agitated today. She turned over her shoulder to look one last time at the doll she was having to leave behind and she decided she was going to come back for it. She was going to get that doll.

It isn't until Seon Woo goes to her grandma's house in the countryside that weekend that she begins to understand what a job is. And it was all thanks to her grandma.

One day, while making a stock of kimchi in her traditional Korean home, Seon Woo's grandmother turned to her and said. “Seon Woo, I have a job for you.”

Seon Woo perked up at those words. “A job?” she asked, her eyes widening with childish curiosity and interest. “What is it?”

“Go outside and put some wood chips in the stove for me, will you? I'm going to roast us some potatoes for tonight.”

Seon Woo stands up immediately to fulfill her duties.

“You can do it, right?” her grandma calls after as she runs outside on her small legs.

“Yes!” Seon Woo shouted back.

She had seen her grandmother fill the classic style stove mini times, so it would be no problem. She ran to the side of the house where it was situated beneath the overhanging porch and pulled the door of the black stove open. Old ashes and burnt wood littered the inside. She looked to the side where a pile of freshly cut logs were and picked them up two at a time, stuffing them inside. She made sure not to pile it too high so that there would be room for the potatoes. When she was done, she smiled at her work proudly and shut the door.

She ran back to her grandma and held out her hands. Her grandmother looked at her quizzically. “What?”

“Since I did a job for you, can I have money?”

Seon Woo's grandmother looked shocked for a moment and then she laughed. “Money?” she asked. “Aish, who taught you these things?” She grumbled good-naturedly, but she pointed towards her bedroom. “There's a small dresser in my bedroom. You can grab a couple of bills from the envelope in the first drawer.”

A smile stretched across Seon Woo's face and she ran to get her compensation. Her grandma watched her with a fond smile and a shake of her head.

For the next few weekends, Seon Woo did chores around her grandmother's house for money until she had collected a small stack of bills and held them in her piggy bank at home. Once she had made enough, she ran to her mother on a Monday morning and asked if she could take her back to that toy store once she got off of school. When her mother asked her why, she said she had the money to buy that doll.

* * *

At nineteen years old, Seon Woo danced around her room to a 2ne1 track, _I am the Best_. The doll she had bought when she was seven sat on the nightstand next to her bed still in good condition.

She was currently running around her room to pack everything she could into the suitcase lying open on her bed. Jungkook's face was smiling out at her from the laptop she had propped open next to it. He had just invited her to come see him in Seoul for the weekend and there was no way she was passing this up. She missed him too much. So she had immediately asked her father for permission, he had said she could go, and now she was in this state...frantically packing everything she could into her bag.

“You don't have to rush,” Jungkook said. “You have all night. I'm sorry I sprang the invitation on you so late. I just looked at my schedule and realized this weekend would be the best time for you to come. My schedule is packed for the next couple of months.”

“I'm rushing because I miss you,” Seon Woo said, making sure to rush back into view of her camera as she spoke. “Being the girlfriend waiting at home is turning out to be much harder than I thought it would.”

Jungkook smiled. “I'm sorry. You're gonna have fun when you get here, I promise. We just have to be careful.”

“I know, I know,” Seon Woo said. “We don't want to be caught by Dispatch or anything. Or any of your crazy fangirls.”

Seon Woo stopped in front of her laptop and dropped to her knees so that her face was displayed properly on the screen. “Jungkook,” she said. “I'll be so happy to see you again. Really see you.”

Jungkook smiled in return. The smile was a little guilty, but Seon Woo didn't notice in her excitement. She pressed a kiss to her screen.

“I'll be happy to see you too,” Jungkook said.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

At seventeen years old, Jimin stood in front of the bathroom mirror of his hometown home and peered at the blonde, wet strands of his hair. He had just bleached it in preparation to place a bright pink layer on top. It would be a drastic change from his usual black hair color. No one would be expecting it. He had even surprised himself when he picked up the hair dye, but he figured it was time for a change. An outward change for everyone to see.

When he completed the process, he stared at himself and took a deep breath. He was nervous but excited because he was facing the reflection of the person he wanted to be.

When he sat down to dinner that evening with his family, a silence fell over the table. Jimin paid no attention to it; he simply proceeded to load his plate. “Hi, everyone,” he said.

No one responded to his greeting.

Jimin knew this was going to come as a shock to him. It was his first day back home after having been in Seoul for a while, training with his entertainment company. This probably wasn't what his parents or brother were expecting when they saw him again.

“You dyed your hair...” his mother finally spoke.

Jimin nodded. “Do you like it?” He finally looked up to meet her eyes. She was staring at him in surprise and consternation.

“Uhh...It's _different_ ,” she responded, dodging the question.

His father cleared his throat. “I think it's irresponsible of that company of yours to have you dye your hair when they haven't done anything for you yet,” he said disapprovingly. “Why are they making you change your image when they can't even guarantee you success?”

Jimin kept his eyes on his plate. He began to eat, but he honestly didn't know what he was putting into his mouth. He was too nervous to process the taste. “The company didn't make me dye my hair,” Jimin said. “It's something I decided to do on my own.”

“...Why?” his mother asked.

Jimin felt his tongue dry up. How could he explain in a way that they could understand? How could he explain that he felt more like himself when he wasn't fitting into the structured conformity of everyday life? That he liked feeling bold? That he liked feeling pretty? He chewed on his answer, swallowing his food slowly.

But he didn't need to respond in that moment. He found help in the form of his younger brother.

“...I like it,” his brother said. Jimin faced his brother gratefully. “It makes you look more handsome.” He directed his words to his parents. “All of the idols dye their hair these days. You can't just look like an average guy walking down the street if you wanna be successful.”

Jimin sent his brother a small smile.

His father sighed and grumbled, “When you said you wanted to dance, I thought you meant something more prestigious. I wasn't expecting all of this idol stuff.”

But that was the last of it on that day. Jimin was off the hook. But he didn't particularly feel happy. There was a weight still sitting heavy on his chest.

* * *

21-year-old Park Jimin waited patiently for Jungkook to acknowledge him. He had come into the large dressing room designated to the two of them half an hour earlier and had since proceeded to avoid Jimin with all of the grace of a pink flamengo with one leg. He kept glancing over and then hurriedly looking away whenever Jimin tried to catch his eye, sometimes knocking over whatever was in his nearest proximity in the process. The young woman working on Jungkook's makeup was very disgruntled due to all of this, but she kept her lips clamped shut in an attempt to keep unprofessional curses at bay. Jimin would have turned it all into a game if his own nerves weren't fraught as hell. It turned out Jungkook's oddness was contagious. Jimin put in mind to scold the younger about it later. How dare he make him into this kind of person?

When their makeup was done, their hair was styled, and their mics had been placed, Jimin finally had enough and approached Jungkook. Jungkook kept his eyes forward but his tensed body let Jimin know that he knew he was there.

“Are you going to avoid me all day?” Jimin asked, his voice a low whisper so as not to be picked up by any of the staff walking around backstage.

Jungkook glanced at him and then faced the front again. “...No.”

Jimin narrowed his eyes at him. “So until when?”

“I'm not avoiding you, hyung.”

Jimin scoffed because Jungkook was still refusing to face him as he spoke those words. “Then why won't you look me in my eyes?”

Jungkook turned to stare in his eyes defiantly for about five seconds before facing forward again. Jimin scoffed again, irritated. What did he even see in this brat? “Okay, fine,” he said. “Whatever.” He started to walk off when he felt Jungkook grasp his wrist.

Jimin's heart seized hopefully. Finally they were getting somewhere. He looked in Jungkook's eyes and could see that the younger man was struggling to say something. He waited.

“Hyung.”

“Hmm?”

“I just wanted to say...”

Jimin held his breath.

“I just wanted to say...Seon Woo is coming up to visit in a couple of days, and she'll want to meet you. So I was wondering if you would be free.”

Jimin blinked in confusion as his mind tried to catch up to what his ears just heard. “Your girlfriend is coming?” Jimin asked. He felt his stomach clench with sudden, unexpected nerves and his heart fell from his chest. That wasn't what he had been expecting to hear.

Jungkook nodded. “Remember, I told you I was thinking of inviting her up.”

Jimin thought back. He did remember. Jungkook had told him that right before dry humping him into the bed.

He extracted his wrist from Jungkook's loose grip and took a step back.

“You want me to go on a date with you and your girlfriend?” he asked, wanting to make sure he clearly understood what Jungkook was asking him.

“Well...” Jungkook's lips worked to form words that wouldn't come and a small blush formed on his cheeks. Jimin was glad that he at least had the nerve to look a little abashed. “I mean...She would really want to meet you...” Jungkook explained, his voice lowering to a barely there whisper as he spoke. It seemed it was just now hitting him how his request might affect Jimin now that the words were spoken and hanging in the air between them.

Jimin squinted his eyes. He couldn't deny that he was stung. It's not that he expected Jungkook to place any importance on what had happened between them last night, but he at least had expected a little courtesy. And he couldn't see how being invited to hang out with Jungkook, his girlfriend, and their perfect relationship was a courtesy.

His questioning gaze had turned into a glare that left Jungkook feeling uneasy. “I mean...you...you don't have to meet up with us,” Jungkook said. “If you don't want to.”

But Jimin surprised Jungkook by smiling. A smile that didn't leave Jungkook feeling anymore reassured. It didn't reach his eyes, and it was quite cold.

“No, that's okay,” Jimin said. “I'll have fun with you guys.”

“You will?” Jungkook asked, his eyebrows hitching up to the fringe of his bangs.

“Sure,” Jimin said. “Your girlfriend's a fan of mine. I can't disappoint a fan.”

“Thanks, hyung.”

“Mmhmm.”

Jimin put his earpiece in, getting ready to perform. He was disappointed in himself for expecting anything different. He ignored Jungkook's imploring gaze for the rest of the day and focused on his performance.

* * *

17-year-old Jimin came out to his parents on a Saturday. It was a mundane day. Nothing special about it. There was no fanfare or dramatic music during the announcement. There wasn't even any crying, screaming, or shouting. It was all a sort of muted affair.

Jimin was reading a book in his room when he just suddenly grew tired of it all. He was tired of the weight on his chest and the shadow that followed him around that no one else could see.

He bookmarked his page, stood up, and went to the living room where his family was watching TV. Standing in the doorway, he said it.

“Mom. Dad. I'm gay.”

The volume on the television wasn't loud, so Jimin knew they heard him. They all turned to face him, looking slightly confused.

“What?” his dad asked.

“I'm gay,” Jimin repeated.

“What do you mean?” his mother asked. She turned to her husband. “Honey, what's he saying?” It was as if he was speaking a different language all of a sudden and she couldn't understand the foreign tongue.

“I mean...” Jimin said. “I like guys. Like...I want to date guys.” His heart pounded in his chest but other than that, he was surprisingly calm. This had been a long time coming. And with every word he spoke, that weight on his chest eased little by little.

He was met with silence. No doubt they were all trying to digest what he said. His brother was looking at him with slow realization dawning on his face.

“I know this may come as a shock,” Jimin continued. “But I just wanted to say...yeah...I'm gay. And that may worry you or upset you but...there's nothing any of you can do to change it. There's nothing I can do to change it and...” He shrugged. “I've just decided to live a little selfishly and be happy accepting that.” He nodded and glanced across everyone's faces. “I'll be in my room.”

And that was that.

Seventeen years of building up to some grand announcement and all it had taken was a couple of minutes and an awkward rambling of words.

Of course his parents hadn't liked – what they called his “decision” - but he felt better just having revealed a part of himself that even he was still just discovering. And after his father got tired of trying to talk him out of it and his mother started realizing he was the exact same son he had always been, they began to deal with it and even accept it. Jimin didn't know whether he would be able to ever bring a boyfriend home without his parents being awkward about it but...he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

* * *

Jimin and Jungkook were wrapping up a music festival performance when Jungkook reminded him that his girlfriend was arriving that night and they were supposed to hang out the next day.

Jimin fought down the bitter feeling in his chest and nodded. “I remember,” he said before he took a drink of water. He was still breathing heavily from their performance and sweat glistened on his face. He tried not to meet Jungkook's eyes, afraid that his true feelings would show. “You've taken all of the necessary precautions, right?” he asked. “We won't see ourselves in the news soon?”

Jungkook shook his head, his eyes wide. “I've planned everything carefully. It'll be no problem. She's landing tonight, and I've paid someone to take her to her hotel.”

“Not BigHit staff, right? They could be recognized.”

Jungkook shook his head. “No. Not BigHit. Just...an uber. I called them in advance. They didn't know who I was,” he said quickly, taking note of Jimin's worried expression.

“Okay...” Jimin said, still uncertain. “Next time just leave the Uber up to her. I know you want to play the chivalrous boyfriend, but because of who you are, you can't always have that luxury. Too risky.”

Jungkook nodded. “Understood, Dad.”

Jimin scrunched his face up at Jungkook. “Brat.”

Jungkook broke into light laughter, and just like always, Jimin couldn't help but to be enamored by the warmth that spread through Jungkook's entire face when he smiled like that. He quickly looked away. “...Are you spending the night with her?” he asked carefully, making sure to avoid Jungkook's eyes as he put on the act of nonchalantly brushing imaginary lint from the bottom of his shirt.

“Yes,” Jungkook answered easily. Too easily. The breezy answer left a sinking feeling in Jimin's stomach that he felt guilty for seconds after.

He had to keep reminding himself that Jungkook wasn't his. What they had shared didn't matter. Not to Jungkook at least. Apparently.

“We'll meet up with you tomorrow,” Jungkook continued, not knowing that Jimin's heart was cracking under the weight of his airy words. “I'll text you where. I'm not going to tell Seon Woo about it because I want her to be surprised.”

Jimin nodded. Willing himself to not care. Willing himself to pretend that this was all normal and okay. Willing himself to not reveal what he was thinking or feeling.

A weight that he had rid himself of years ago settled back onto his shoulders, and it was almost like it never really left in the first place.

* * *

Since Jungkook was occupied, Jimin chose to spend his night with Taehyung.

He showed up at the model's hotel room with a black beanie pulled down over his hair and large shades adorning his eyes. Taehyung's personal staff had managed to sneak him in secretly with the help of the staff of the hotel that Taehyung was currently staying in due to its proximity to the location he would be shooting a commercial at in the morning.

When Taehyung opened the door, Jimin fell into his arms – embracing him tightly around his neck. He clutched a bottle of wine in one hand and glasses in the other. He wouldn't tell his friend that this would be his second bottle of wine for the night, but he didn't need to. Taehyung could tell immediately from the sweet and slightly tangy smell permeating lightly from Jimin that his friend had already pre-gamed. He gently pushed Jimin away from him and closed the door.

“I'm mad at you, bro,” Taehyung said. “Because of you, I had to cancel a night with Rachael.”

“You're still seeing her?” Jimin asked. He pulled his shoes off and began to look for a surface to place the glasses on. He was eager to get a little drunk and then fall asleep. On this particular night, he slightly regretted the fact that he held his liquor so well. He didn't feel even a little bit buzzed even after his previous drinking before arriving.

He walked into the living room area of the hotel suite and placed the glasses down on a decorative coffee table before pouring out some wine into both glasses. Taehyung followed behind him.

“Yes,” Taehyung said. “She's amazing.”

Jimin smiled, feeling happy for his friend. “I'm happy for you,” he voiced, handing the filled wine glass to Taehyung.

Taehyung took a sip just to be polite but then he sat it aside. Jimin knew then that he would be drinking on his own that night. He was only a little disappointed before he shrugged the feeling away. More for him.

* * *

A couple of hours and an empty bottle later, Jimin had the buzz he had been searching for.

With a dopey but contented smile on his face and slightly red cheeks, he nuzzled up next to Taehyung who was looking through his phone. Wait. Jimin squinted. Taehyung wasn't looking through his own phone, he was holding Jimin's phone in his hand and scrolling through it as if it belonged to him.

“What are you doing?” Jimin asked. “Why are you going through my things?” He whined but he didn't try to take the phone back. If it was anybody else and if he was sober, he probably would have had a problem with the invasion of privacy but this was Taehyung and his muscles were sinking into the bed like liquid jelly so...he couldn't find it in him to care that much.

“I'm reading your texts with Jungkook,” Taehyung said with a snicker. “You two are so cute.”

Jimin frowned and scrunched his nose. Jungkook. Just the person he didn't want to think about tonight. He didn't want to think about what he was probably currently doing with his girlfriend. How much he preferred what she could give compared to him. “Jungkook isn't cute at all,” Jimin said with a pout and a sigh. “He's stupid.”

“That's not what you're saying in these texts,” Taehyung teased. “Jungkookie...” He began to read one. “Has anyone ever told you you look like a handsome Yoo Jae Suk?” Taehyung burst out into loud laughter. “What the hell, hyung?”

Jimin pouted again. He didn't respond. He already felt silly for liking Jungkook – he was just finding out that he liked him way more than he initially thought – and now his best friend was teasing him about some of his not-so-subtle texts.

“Do you like Yoo Jae Suk?” Taehyung continued to read, having moved on to Jungkook's response. “You said yes. Then he said...” Taehyung scrolled down. “Then I'm glad I remind you of him.” Taehyung's mouth fell open and he screamed. Much too loudly for Jimin's relaxed state. He pulled away from Taehyung with a grimace. Taehyung didn't seem to notice, though. He was too busy laughing gleefully. “He's flirting so hard with you, Jimin! How can he still claim to be straight?”

Jimin took his phone back. “I think he just likes the attention I give him,” Jimin said forlornly. “Like you said.”

Taehyung turned over on his side to face Jimin. “Why do you say that?” Taehyung said. “What's happened? You've been pouting all night.”

Jimin sighed. “Nothing. Nothing we didn't already expect anyway...”

“What's that?” Taehyung asked.

“That I shouldn't get involved with Jungkook.”

Taehyung's brows furrowed as his mind grasped to come up with information that he didn't have. “Wait,” he said. “Has something else happened between you two? More than that one kiss?”

“Yeah,” Jimin said. His mind went back to what happened between them a couple of nights before and he couldn't stop the flush that ran across his face. “We made out...pretty aggressively...” he said, keeping the real occurrences of that night as PG as possible in his vocal retelling.

Taehyung's mouth fell open. “He made out with you?”

Jimin nodded again.

“And then what happened?”

Jimin told him about how Jungkook ran away and then never really spoke of it again. And he then confessed why he was sulking tonight. It seemed all Taehyung had to do was prod a little bit and all of Jimin's grievances were pouring out of him. Maybe it was the alcohol as well. He told him about how Jungkook was spending the night with his girlfriend and how he had invited her to visit him right after what had happened.

Taehyung listened quietly, interjecting with angry grumbling whenever Jimin needed proof that he was on his side.

When he was finished, Taehyung's frown matched Jimin's. Throughout Jimin's spiel, he adopted Jimin's perspective and began to feel as much frustration towards the younger man as his friend did. “We should get revenge,” he decided.

“How?” Jimin asked.

“Make him jealous.”

“...How?”

“Mmm...” Taehyung thought for a moment. “Come here.” He took Jimin's phone from his hand and went to his camera. “Kiss me on the cheek.”

Jimin immediately grasped what Taehyung wanted to do and he chuckled, too buzzed and too uncaring to not want to go along with what Taehyung was suggesting. He moved close and pressed his lips to Taehyung's cheek while Taehyung took the photo. Jimin glanced at the camera to see if Taehyung was done right as Taehyung pressed the button to take another photo. This picture ended up looking way more seductive than either expected it to. They both laughed as they viewed it. “It looks like I'm saying I have him and you don't,” Jimin said.

“Perfect,” Taehyung replied as he went to Jimin's Twitter.

“You're not really going to post that, are you?” Jimin asked. The doubts began to set in. “People are really going to think we're dating.”

“No, they won't,” Taehyung said. “Only our shippers. And what's wrong with making them happy? Everyone else will just think we're having a little bro fun.”

Jimin laughed, knowing Taehyung was right. And he couldn't deny that he felt a small, mischievous thrill of excitement at possibly getting Jungkook's blood to rise.

“Do you think he will care?” Jimin asked. “He's seen us hang out together. He knows there's nothing going on.”

“Does he?” Taehyung asked, glancing over and raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Jimin smacked Taehyung's chest and watched him make a Twitter post. He posted the first and second picture together, and he typed out a caption for it: “When you drink too much alcohol but bae is there to hold you.”

Jimin laughed. “Yah,” he said. “That's too much.”

“Why?” He didn't wait for a response. He posted.

Jimin screamed and grabbed the pillow next to him, pressing it over his face. “That's so embarrassing,” he said, his voice muffled through the fabric. “My fans aren't going to know what the hell is going on.”

A message notification came in on Jimin's phone. “Oh,” Taehyung said. “It's your manager. He asked what the hell you're doing.”

“Oh my God,” Jimin groaned. He threw the pillow away and grabbed his phone from Taehyung's hands before shutting it off. “I hate you.”

“That's not what everyone else is going to think after tonight,” Taehyung laughed.

“If I lose fans because of this, I'm blaming you.”

“If you lose fans because of this, they didn't deserve you in the first place.”

Jimin's fingers and toes tingled in anticipation of what people were going to think. Of what _Jungkook_ was going to think. “He probably won't care.” He spoke aloud, his thoughts running out of his mouth.

“Who? Jungkook?” Taehyung asked. “If he doesn't, then he doesn't know what he's missing.”

Jimin giggled at their absurdity, his buzz still keeping his spirits high. “What happened to not trying to seduce the straight guy?”

“That went out the window when he kissed you and then tried to act like nothing happened,” Taehyung said passionately. “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.”

Jimin chuckled at Taehyung's corny use of the famous movie line. “Shut up.”

“Don't pretend that you're not anticipating getting a reaction.”

Jimin pouted. “I'm not. Even if he does feel anything, he probably won't let me know. He's stupid.”

“That's the second time you've said that.”

“Well, he is.”

“Why have you become interested in a stupid guy, huh?”

“I don't know.”

Taehyung sighed and patted Jimin's hair. “Sleep. You have to deal with stupid tomorrow.”

Jimin groaned. “Do I have to?”

“No. You can blow him off and spend the day with me instead.”

“I can't do that.”

“Why? He's stupid.”

“He's cute.”

Taehyung sighed. “You're both stupid.”

Jimin didn't respond. The drowsiness caused by the alcohol was slowly setting in and he found himself drifting off to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Comment, drop a kudos, lurk and read. I don't know. Do whatever you do.
> 
> To see how to make me write the things you want, visit me at the links I post below. And enjoy the boys' comeback period!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr: https://fanficnme.tumblr.com/  
> And Twitter: @LazyGirlWrites


	15. Bungee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, anon, for the support. Hope you enjoy!

After waking up the next morning, Jimin almost forgot about the picture he and Taehyung had taken the night before. A slight hangover and the need to take a shower pushed all other thoughts from his mind. Taehyung was already gone when he woke up. He texted him at 4:00 A.M. saying he was heading out for his shoot. So Jimin had no one to remind him about the silly plan they had concocted the night before until he sat down on the couch of the hotel suite, freshly showered, and all of the events of the previous night came back to him.

He let his head fall against the cushions. “I'm an idiot,” he mumbled before running to get his phone and turning it on.

The notifications piled in. Of course he checked the comments under his Twitter post first.

“ _Omg. What's going on? Is Jimin cheating on Jungkook? My Jikook heart is broken. #jikook4lyf”_

“ _I love their friendship.”_

“ _Taehyung and Jimin are very good friends. Shippers get lost.”_

“ _Agjr;ahfioajifadkh! I'm dead! I've been shipping Vmin for the longest time! I knew something must be going on between them! They're too hot not to have sexual tension! #Vmin”_

“ _Jungkook is going to be mad.”_

“ _Why would Jungkook be mad?”_

“ _Because Jungkook obviously likes Jimin.”_

“ _Jimin is NOT gay! Neither is Jungkook! You shippers disgust me! I hate that you all are posting under a photo Jimin tweeted himself. He's going to see all of these!”_

“ _Taehyung and Jimin are a cute couple. #boyfriendgoals”_

Jimin felt his stomach twirl when he read a reply to the previous comment. A reply posted by JJK. “ _No, they're not. #jikook”_

Jimin blinked at the reply for a good minute, mostly staring at the hashtag. “Jikook?” Jimin mumbled aloud. A chuckle left him. “What?” He could picture Jungkook replying to the comments with a pout on his face. “Cute...” he mumbled.

He was distracted from reading through the rest of the comments when a message from Jungkook appeared at the top of his screen. He clicked on it.

The message read: “Are you still down to meet up with us today? Or are you too busy with Taehyung?”

Even though he knew it was immature, Jimin couldn't help but to feel a spark of satisfaction. It seemed Jeon Jungkook was indeed at least a little bit jealous. He responded back, saying that he was getting ready.

* * *

**Omniscient POV:**

A thrill of excitement coursed through Jungkook's body when he saw Jimin standing in the museum he had told him to come to. He was dressed in disguising clothes, as he always did when coming out in public, and staring at one of the paintings in front of him. Jungkook walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hyung.”

When Jimin turned to him, he took the shades that he was wearing off of his face. His eyes darted around Jungkook. “Where's Seon Woo?” he asked.

“She's about fifteen minutes behind me,” Jungkook explained. “I told you I would be careful.”

Jimin nodded in agreeance to the fact that that was probably a good idea. But he continued to glance around. “Why is it so empty in here?”

“I rented out the museum for an hour,” Jungkook said, proud of himself.

Jimin's mouth fell open and he landed a slap on Jungkook's chest. “That's not careful! What if one of the employees goes back and tells their friend they didn't have to come to work because a celebrity rented out the place?”

Jungkook's face fell. “They don't know it's me,” he replied hastily. “I was careful, hyung. Promise.”

Drawn in by his wide eyes, Jimin pinched his cheek. “Okay. I believe you. So what are we doing here?”

Jungkook gestured around the gallery. “Looking at art.”

“That's it?” Jimin asked. He sighed, his shoulders drooping. He liked art well enough, but he would be lying if he said walking around a museum was an ideal way to spend his free time.

“Well...” Jungkook said, noticing the fall in Jimin's expression. Uncertainty laced his voice. “I have other things planned too. It's just...this is first. It won't be boring.”

“Okay,” Jimin said even though his voice still held a disinterested cadence. Jimin couldn't complain. This day wasn't for him anyway.

“Are you tired, hyung?” Jungkook asked.

“Why?” Jimin answered back. “Do I look tired?”

Jungkook nodded. “A little.” He shifted on his feet. “Did you stay up late last night or something?”

Jungkook's insides spun with anxiety as his thoughts landed again on the picture Jimin had posted on his Twitter. It bothered him to think that Jimin may have shared a similar experience to what they had shared a few nights before. Was Taehyung gay? No. He was dating a woman. But then again, Jimin had been dating a woman before. And he, himself, was dating a woman and he had still done those things with Jimin.

Jungkook blushed, thinking about them. He had been trying to avoid doing that as much as possible after the event occurred.

Jungkook frowned. Maybe Jimin was just a sexual person. Maybe what they had done didn't mean very much to him at all.

Jungkook didn't like the thought of that.

“What?” Jimin asked. “Why are you frowning?”

Jungkook tuned back into the present, realizing he had missed what Jimin said. “Huh?” he asked. “What did you say?”

“I said I didn't stay up too late. I just didn't put makeup on this morning.”

“Ah,” Jungkook returned with a nod. He wanted to ask about the picture, but he didn't know how to bring it up. It wasn't really his business what kind of relationship Jimin and Taehyung had. But the words slipped out anyway. “Is Taehyung gay? Or bisexual?”

Jimin stared at Jungkook with interest. “Why?”

Jungkook didn't have time to answer. An excited squeal cut his words off and the next thing Jimin knew he was being bombarded by who he assumed was Seon Woo. Jungkook proceeded to make proper introductions but most of the art was left unviewed. Seon Woo was too busy trying to absorb everything Jimin said and did while Jimin had proceeded to put on the cheerful and professional persona he donned specifically for fans.

Jungkook felt a little guilty usurping Jimin's free time. He hadn't really thought of how this must feel like work to him.

“Hey, hyung,” he called. Jimin was sitting down on a bench scrolling through his phone, taking the time to himself since Seon Woo had turned away a few moments ago to finally start paying attention to some of the artwork hanging around the gallery. “Do you want to go watch street performances in Hongdae after this?”

Jimin's face lit up. “Yeah,” he said.

Jungkook smiled in response to Jimin's brightened mood. He knew watching street performances might be more of Jimin's style.

He went over to Seon Woo and told her their plan. She frowned. “Can we eat first?” she asked. “I'm hungry.”

“Ah, food. Right. Let me see if Jimin's hungry.” He went back over to Jimin. “Hyung, do you wanna get food first? Seon Woo's hungry.”

Jimin looked at the time on his phone. “It's almost 2pm. That's when it's the most exciting until the evening.”

“I know,” Jungkook said. “Maybe we can go to the evening performances then.”

“What will we do until then?”

“I have bungee jumping planned at 4:00.”

“Bungee jumping?!” Jimin's eyes grew comically wide. He shook his head. “No thanks. I'll eat with you guys and then be on my way.” He stood up as if he was going to leave that second.

An unexpected amount of panic shot through Jungkook's body and he threw his arm out to stop him. “No. Come on, hyung. It'll be fun.”

Jimin scoffed in disbelief. “Plummeting towards rocks while I'm held by only a string is not my idea of fun.”

“Did I hear bungee jumping?” Seon Woo asked, coming over to join them.

“Yes,” Jungkook said. “It was supposed to be a surprise, but Jimin ruined it.”

Seon Woo squealed and hugged Jungkook. “I've always wanted to bungee jump! This is gonna be so much fun!”

“Great,” Jimin said, looking away from the lovers' embrace. “You two go bungee jumping. I'll go back home and take a nap.”

Jungkook gently pulled him back by his wrist when he started to walk away. “Hyung, you can't go.”

Jimin stomped his feet, not caring that he looked like a petulant child. “Why?”

“You don't want to go bungee jumping?” Seon Woo asked.

Jungkook found his excuse. “Because Seon Woo wanted to meet you,” he said. “You're really going to just leave?”

Jimin glared at Jungkook. He knew he wouldn't say no to a fan.

And that's how he found himself getting rigged up to go bungee jumping. He frowned in Jungkook's direction while one of the instructors at the bungee jumping site pulled at the clasped rigging behind him in order to make sure he didn't die. He hated this.

They were fifty meters up and were still in the small building type structure that led out to the frightening platform that they would have to jump from. Jimin's knuckles were white from clenching around a bar that slightly jutted out from the interior of the wall. Seon Woo and Jungkook were getting suited up as well, but they looked more excited than frightened.

Jungkook caught Jimin's pouty glare and chuckled. “Hyung, what's wrong?”

“I hate you,” Jimin responded.

“Aigh~” Jungkook waved away his worries as if they were a pesky fly. “It'll be okay, hyung. I'm sure there have been no major accidents. Right, Mister?” He aimed his question towards the worker fiddling with Jimin's harnessing. Jimin looked at him, hoping for reassurance but the worker's eyes darted around a bit and he spoke in a lowered voice.

“We're supposed to tell you no,” he whispered. “But there _was_ an incident a few years ago before I came to work here.” Jimin's face blanched. “There haven't been many though, so it should be okay.”

“One is too many!” Jimin protested. “Jungkook~!”

“I'll go first,” Jungkook said hurriedly, trying to reassure Jimin. “You can watch me, see that nothing goes wrong. And then you can follow.”

Seeing Jimin's fear, the instructor suggested couple jumping. “We can belt you two together and then you can jump at the same time. That way, you won't be doing it alone.”

“How does that sound?” Jungkook asked, watching Jimin carefully. “You want to do that?”

Jimin looked a little ashamed at having to request something like that but that didn't stop him from answering with a soft, “Yes.”

“Okay,” Jungkook responded readily. “Let me go talk to Seon Woo.”

'Oh, right,' Jimin thought. Wrapped up in his fear, he had forgotten that this was supposed to be a date for Jungkook and his girlfriend who he hadn't spent significant time with in a while. And here he was probably ruining it by acting like a little kid. His feelings were further amplified when Seon Woo's voice interrupted his thoughts.

“You're gonna leave me to jump on my own?!”

“I- I thought you were excited to do it,” Jungkook said. His voice displayed the fact that he was startled by Seon Woo's reaction.

“I am! But how can you leave your girlfriend to jump alone while you jump with your friend instead?”

Jimin felt guilt settle in his chest. “He's scared!” Jungkook responded.

Seon Woo sighed. “Fine,” she relented. “You better be glad it's Park Jimin or else you'd be in the doghouse.”

When Jungkook made his way back over to tell the instructor they would do the couple jump, Jimin laid his hand on his arm. “You don't have to do this. You should do it with Seon Woo instead.”

“No, it's okay. She understands.”

And it was true that Seon Woo understood. But a thought also settled in the back of her mind that this was the first time Jungkook hadn't given in to what she wanted or followed her lead.

* * *

Jungkook couldn't help but to smile in amusement. Jimin kept his face turned away from the drop-off that they were now only inches away from. His hands were locked tightly around Jungkook's middle. Jungkook hesitantly embraced Jimin as well, unsure where to place his hands. He let them lay gently against his back. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“No!” Jimin shouted back. Jungkook laughed. “I think the steak I ate a couple hours ago is gonna come up.”

“Please don't vomit on me.”

“You'll deserve it.”

“Hyung, it's okay. I got you. And at least if we die, we'll die together, right?” It was supposed to be a joke, but it didn't land.

Jimin whimpered. “I don't want either one of us to die.”

Jungkook chuckled. “You're cute, hyung.”

That rendered Jimin speechless.

“Don't worry, hyung,” Jungkook said again. “Just close your eyes and hold onto me.”

Jimin couldn't deny that it was comforting to have the other man there with him. He was sure he wouldn't have been able to do this on his own. He closed his eyes tight and pressed his cheek into the warmth of Jungkook's chest. Then the instructor's countdown started and...they jumped.

* * *

**Seon Woo's POV:**

Seon Woo lounged on the king size bed of the hotel room that had been rented out for her as she scrolled through her phone. She had been driven back to her hotel ahead of Jungkook so that suspicions wouldn't arise about who she was and why she was hanging around the celebrity. She pouted as she looked through the photos fans had captured on Twitter of Jimin and Jungkook out together to watch the street performances in Hongdae. She had been there as well, but no one would know it from the pictures.

She was happy about that, of course. She didn't want to become a hindrance to Jungkook's increase in fame. But after coming here and seeing Jungkook's life as it was now firsthand, she couldn't help but to realize how different everything was. And how different everything was going to remain.

Most of their “date” had consisted of them enjoying things separately – and if they weren't – being so tense about possibly being seen or noticed that they hadn't been able to relax.

She turned off her phone screen and waited for Jungkook to arrive. She didn't have to wait long because he walked through the door about ten minutes later.

“Hey,” he said, walking into the bedroom with a big smile on his face. He took his shoes off before sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Did you have fun today?”

“Yeah,” Seon Woo said with a nod. “I like the city.”

Jungkook playfully narrowed his eyes at her since her voice didn't hold much conviction. “But?”

Seon Woo smiled. “I don't know...I just feel like I didn't actually get to spend much time with you.”

“We spent the whole day together.”

“Yeah...sort of.”

“Sort of? What does that mean?”

“I just kind of felt like a third wheel.”

“Because of Jimin?”

“Because of all of it. I couldn't even stand next to you in case someone got it on their camera.”

“Oh...I'm sorry. I wanted it to be perfect.”

“Don't apologize,” Seon Woo assured, feeling bad because of Jungkook's crestfallen face. “I had fun. Things just didn't go exactly how I expected. And...I don't have to go home until Monday. Which means we have all day tomorrow. Let's just stay in, order something, and watch movies.”

“Okay,” Jungkook agreed.

But things didn't go as planned.

Seon Woo received a phone call at around 3:00 a.m. from her friend and manager, Seokjin, asking her to come back home. He didn't explain much; he just said that her father had been taken to the hospital due to a drop in his blood sugar. It wasn't the first time it happened and Seon Woo was sure it wouldn't be the last time due to her father's struggle with diabetes, but she worried nonetheless and agreed to hurry back. So with a quick goodbye to a confused and still sleepy Jungkook, she had promised to explain later and left him behind in the hotel in Seoul, not knowing irrevocable change was coming.

* * *

**Jungkook's POV:**

Due to his Sunday being unexpectedly free, Jungkook naturally messaged Jimin to ask what he was doing. When he received a reply that the man would be frequenting their usual club in Gangnam with Taehyung, Namjoon, and Yoongi, Jungkook knew he had to tag along. He had to quench his curiosity about just how close Jimin and Taehyung actually were.

When he arrived at the club, he saw that Taehyung's foreign girlfriend was there as well so he felt relieved. Until the other man whispered something in her ear and then moved over to throw an arm around Jimin's shoulders. Jimin flushed and glanced his way while Jungkook's brows furrowed. Had something actually happened between them that night? Were they friends with benefits? He looked over to Rachael to see how she was responding but her eyes just moved from the two of them to Jungkook and she laughed.

Jungkook frowned, feeling as if there was a joke he wasn't in on.

He sat down on a cushioned seat by himself and began to take advantage of the mutiple drinks that were already strewn out on the table, ordered by the people who had arrived earlier than him. He downed drink after drink, liking the spread of warmth in his chest and trying to ignore the way Taehyung kept leaning into Jimin, whispering in his ear, and even wiping his thumb across his lip to get rid of crumbs there at one point.

The sight irritated him.

But what was more irritating than Taehyung's actions were Jimin's responses. He giggled and blushed and fed Taehyung snacks. Really...Were they dating or what?

Jungkook was beginning to lose track of how many drinks he was putting into his system. He was so busy trying to tune Jimin and Taehyung out that he didn't notice when the older man had stood up and approached him until he felt tapping on his shoulder. Jimin was looking down at him with a saccharine smile. “Do you want to go dance?”

Jungkook almost choked on the burning liquid that was moving down his throat since he hadn't expected such an offer. He looked over towards Taehyung in order to gloat with a victorious smirk but Taehyung wasn't paying attention anymore. He had his arm back around his girlfriend.

Not wasting another minute, Jungkook sat his glass down and stood up. He could feel a bit of the alcohol making his head a little hazy, but he was glad he wasn't so far gone that he couldn't control his motor skills. That would have been embarrassing. He didn't want to step all over Jimin while trying to dance with him.

When they reached the dance floor, Jimin turned toward him and began to move to the music. Jungkook followed along. There was about six inches of space between them, which Jungkook knew he should have been glad for because who wanted to see two guys grinding up on each other, right? But he couldn't help but to want to decrease the space. Put his hands on his waist and pull him close. He wanted some indication that he was special and not just another friend Jimin flirted with.

Jungkook blamed the alcohol coursing through his system for the question he asked next. “Do you flirt with all of your friends, hyung?” He yelled to be heard over the music.

Jimin narrowed his eyes at Jungkook but a small smile remained on his lips. He didn't look bothered or agitated. “What's your definition of flirting?” Jimin asked back.

“You know,” Jungkook accused.

“I don't,” Jimin responded back. “I'm friendly to everyone. If people misconstrue that as flirting, then...it isn't my fault.”

“Fine,” Jungkook fired back. “Do you kiss everyone then?”

Jimin giggled, causing Jungkook to frown. This was serious, but it seemed he was the only one who thought so. “Who have I kissed?” They imperceptibly moved closer to each other, pushed by the surrounding people and the reverberating music.

“Taehyung,” Jungkook shot back, accusation lacing his voice.

“Is it a problem that I kissed him?” Jimin asked. He pinched Jungkook's shirt between his fingers and pulled him closer still until they were chest to chest.

Jungkook felt butterflies in his stomach and he felt arousal stir. He held his breath. With the fogginess in his mind, the swirling lights, the invigorating music, and Jimin looking up at him...He couldn't handle this. He couldn't fight the pull Jimin had over him. And he couldn't ignore it or deny it anymore. “Yes,” Jungkook answered, his voice tight and heavy.

Jimin's eyes fluttered to Jungkook's lips. Jungkook wasn't sure when their faces had gotten so close. He could feel Jimin's breath hitting him. He also wasn't sure if they were moving anymore. He felt like they were but he couldn't be sure. “Why?” Jimin asked.

Jungkook couldn't find the words to respond to him. His mouth opened but his tongue didn't work.

When Jimin leaned a little closer, Jungkook involuntarily licked his lips and his breath hitched. He hoped Jimin would close the distance. When the anticipation became too much, Jungkook moved forward to capture Jimin's lips with his own. But Jimin stepped back. When Jungkook blinked at him in confusion, Jimin spoke. “Until you can give me a reason why I shouldn't, I'm going to kiss whoever I want.”

Jungkook was floored. He could only stand and watch as Jimin moved into the crowd and disappeared from view.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

By the time they felt they had spent a sufficient amount of time destressing and having a fun night out, Jimin's feet hurt from dancing, Jungkook could barely stand from the amount of alcohol he had consumed, and Taehyung had taken to filming his currently judgment lacking friends on his phone. Yoongi and Namjoon had already bailed earlier in the night due to needing to get some work done and Taehyung's girlfriend had left to go to bed early.

“You better not upload anything,” Jimin said as he staggered under Jungkook's weight. He had the other man's arm hooked over his shoulders as Jungkook was seemingly using all of his mental efforts to stay fully conscious. “We're not like you models. We have a reputation to uphold.”

“I know, I know,” Taehyung admonished. “What kind of friend do you think I am? These are just for my own personal satisfaction. And potential blackmail.”

Jimin looked up and down the street, impatient to relieve himself of Jungkook's weight. He wasn't equipped to hold up pounds of muscle for more than ten minutes. “When is your car getting here?”

“Here it is right now.” Taehyung pointed to a sleek white Tesla making its way down the street.

“Oh my God,” Jimin groaned, lowering his head. “A Tesla? Talk about drawing attention.”

“Calm down. No one's even looking this way. Get in.”

When the wings of the car came up, Jimin hurriedly pushed Jungkook into the backseat and then climbed in after him. Taehyung walked around the car, dismissed his driver, and climbed into the driver's seat. “You didn't drink, did you?” Jimin asked.

Taehyung sighed loudly. “Again...what kind of person do you think I am. I was too busy continuing the mission--” he nodded towards Jungkook who was slumped in his seat. “To drink anything.”

“Okay, okay,” Jimin conceded. “And don't blame me. I didn't ask you to do anything.”

Taehyung started the car and drove out onto the street. Jungkook began to stir with the movement of the vehicle while Jimin watched him warily.

“Do you have a bag?” He asked Taehyung. “I don't want him to throw up in your fancy car.”

“No,” Taehyung responded, glaring through the rearview mirror. “You better make sure he doesn't throw up.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” Jimin asked. “I can't control his stomach.”

“Won't throw up, hyung.” Jimin was startled when Jungkook spoke up. He looked over to see the younger man lean back against his seat and roll his head to look over at him from beneath hooded eyes. “Never throw up. Jus' sleep and...” The sentence was never finished. It got lost in some drunken neverland and Jungkook's brow furrowed questioningly as if he had lost his train of thought completely.

Jimin gave him a soft smile. “Okay,” he said gently. “Go to sleep then. I'll wake you up when we get home.”

“Who's home?”

“Yours.”

“No~!” Jungkook let out a long whine and Jimin couldn't help but to giggle. He was tempted to follow Taehyung's example and get a recording. “Wanna go home with you.”

Jimin decided to have fun with him. Payback for the bungee jumping. “Why should I?” he asked. “You haven't been good to me.”

Jungkook's face became horror stricken and Jimin almost thought he had sobered up a bit before he replied with another drunken whine. “I _have_ been good!”

“When?” Jimin challenged.

Taehyung watched the both of them through the rearview mirror with an expression that was mixed halfway between amusement, judgmental, and revulsion. He shook his head and tried to keep his eyes on the road.

Jungkook tilted his head and glared questioningly at the ceiling, wracking his sloshed brain for a good example. When he came up with nothing, he slid over the seat until he was embracing Jimin and speaking into his neck. “I'm sorry, hyung. I'll be better.”

Jimin held back a smile. He had gone drinking with Jungkook before, but he had never seen him this drunk.

“How?” he asked. “How will you be better to me?”

It happened too soon for Jimin to anticipate it. One minute Jungkook had his arms around his neck and the next his hands were on the button of his jeans, opening them, and Jungkook was diving towards his crotch.

“Ahhh!” He screamed, shocked and surprised.

The car swerved on the road and Taehyung screamed as well.

He hurriedly pushed Jungkook away but Jungkook was back within his space in seconds. “It's okay, hyung,” Jungkook slurred. “I've been reading online.”

“What's going on?!” Taehyung shouted.

Jimin was too busy trying to defend his honor to respond but one glance in the backseat told him everything he needed to know. Seeing Jungkook's face in Jimin's crotch caused him to swerve again. Jimin managed to momentarily push Jungkook away just enough to turn his body away and squish himself against the window, trying to get as far away from the other man as possible. “Please don't kill us,” he said to Taehyung, adding trying to stay alive to his sudden urgent to-do list. He hurriedly buttoned up his pants again.

Taehyung started to howl with laughter as Jungkook pushed himself against Jimin again and began to kiss at the side of his neck. The smell of alcohol permeating off of Jungkook wafted into Jimin's nostrils. He felt like he could get drunk off of the smell alone.

“He tried to blow you,” Taehyung was gasping between peals of laughter. “Since when have straight guys wanted to go down on another man? We're in, Jiminie.” He continued to laugh. “Ahhh~ I wish I could record it.”

“I can give you a reason, Jimin,” Jungkook was muttering in his ear. “Don't kiss anybody else. I can give you a reason.”

Jimin kept his face turned away, still trying to guard against Jungkook's sudden overzealous affections. “How far away are we?” he asked.

“With the traffic, fifteen minutes,” Taehyung answered, finally sobering up.

Jimin sighed and jerked away when Jungkook blew clumsily into his ear. This was going to be a long fifteen minutes.

* * *

Eventually, Jimin just allowed Jungkook to kiss his lips. It shut him up and seemed to calm him down.

This was the first time Jimin was properly kissing Jungkook and he hated that it was when the other man was drunk out of his mind. The kissing was nice and he had to admit that he was enjoying it. He knew he shouldn't – not when Jungkook was obviously lacking inhibitions – but Jungkook's lips were soft and the pressure of his kisses was passionate but not so hard that Jimin felt as if he was struggling to catch a breath. Jungkook's tongue licked into his mouth in a slow and sensual dance, pulsing against his own. “Mm,” he moaned. Jungkook pulled back to hear what he had to say. “You're a good kisser.” Jimin had to acquiesce; he felt he had been misjudging him for the Great Kiss Debacle in his teen years.

Jungkook smiled, his eyes hazy from either alcohol or the mood, Jimin wasn't sure. And then he was leaning in again. Jimin opened his lips, readily accepting a continuation of the kiss.

“Jimin,” Taehyung said warningly from the front seat.

Still engaged in the kiss, Jimin gave Taehyung the middle finger.

“I'm going to slam on the brakes if I feel like I have to separate you two.”

Jimin gave him the okay sign to which Taehyung shook his head and then put his eyes back on the road.

Jimin indulged for the rest of the trip. Because Lord only knew which Jungkook he would get when the other man sobered up.

When Taehyung dropped the two off at Jimin's house, he lowered the window. Jungkook was still leaning heavily on Jimin due to his inability to walk straight and both of the men's hair was mussed from their previous activities. “Jimin,” he said. “I want you to send me a picture of little Jungkookie tucked in safe and sound in the _guest_ bedroom in fifteen minutes or else I'm going to call the cops.”

Jimin scoffed. “What kind of person do you think I am?!” he asked, affronted.

“A person who just took advantage of poor Kookie in the back of my Tesla. Why?”

“Whatever,” Jimin mumbled. “Leave!”

Taehyung restarted the ignition. “Fifteen minutes, Jimin!”

“Okay! Go!”

When Taehyung was gone, Jimin led Jungkook into the house and did what Taehyung asked him to do even though Jungkook tried to pull him in alongside him and got whiny when Jimin resisted. Back in his own bedroom, he laid in bed and thought about everything. He thought about all the reasons why he should stop whatever this was with Jungkook. There were many. And when he thought about all of the reasons why he should pursue a relationship with Jungkook, he could only think of one. He decided it would only be selfish for him to try to take this any further.

...But why was his heart telling him to be selfish?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...yep, that happened. Drunk Jungkook just tried to give Jimin a BJ. At least his uninhibited self is done denying his desires.
> 
> Also, there's full-out cheating at this point. I need to add that to my tags. Lol. 
> 
> And shoutout to Taehyung being a good and responsible friend. Friends don't let friends go too far with their other friend when they're inebriated. Lol.
> 
> Visit me on Tumblr or Twitter to see how you can make me write whatever you want.
> 
> Fanficnme on Tumblr.  
> @LazyGirlWrites on Twitter.


	16. Gay Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got this chapter finished!
> 
> I know some of you have been reading the progressive updates on Tumblr; I think writing and posting in snippets helped me to get the chapter completed, but let me know if you like that or if you would prefer I keep everything private until the entire chapter is complete.
> 
> I also hope the fact that some of you have already read most of this won't deter you from leaving a comment here. I love to read them! Thanks! :)

**Jungkook's POV:**

Jungkook opened his eyes in the morning and wanted to die.

Not because of the headache that was pounding behind his eyes and made it feel like he wouldn't be able to lift his head from the pillow underneath him but because he could remember everything he had done the night before. Everything. Including the fact that he had tried to suck his duo partner's penis.

He groaned, embarrassment washing over him, and turned to press his face into the freshly laundered pillow. The pillow only reminding him where he was. Whose house he was in.

He didn't want to step outside that bedroom door. He couldn't. That meant he would have to face said partner and friend.

Friend whom he had made out with.

Those images came back to him as well. Pressing his lips against Jimin's full, plush ones. They had felt just as good as he imagined they would...Not that he had imagined kissing his male friend. No. But _if_ he were to have imagined it...yeah, they felt just as good as that. Better actually.

The kisses had been good. Natural.

Jungkook closed his eyes as he remembered how easily they had moved together, their natural rhythm as he kissed and Jimin responded to him. How Jimin opened his lips to accept Jungkook's tongue and the way he tilted his head to allow better access.

A small smile touched Jungkook's lips.

Jimin had kissed him back.

Jungkook sighed and opened his eyes.

“I like him,” he realized.

The words were out there. Spoken aloud into the calm and quiet of Jimin's guest bedroom. And everything stayed still. Nothing changed. Jungkook's heartbeat remained steady. It didn't speed up or stop. Instead, it felt like saying the words aloud settled something inside of him. It stopped the anxiety, frustration, and confusion that had become permanent emotions for him swirling beneath the surface.

“I like him,” he said again. “I like Jimin hyung.”

His thoughts went to his girlfriend. And the calmness he was feeling was overladen with guilt. How could he like someone else – another man at that – when he still cared about his girlfriend?

He picked up his phone from the nightstand and wasn't surprised when he saw that he had a couple of messages from her. She probably wished him good night and good morning. Something they usually did when they were apart from each other.

He opened the messages and responded back.

There was only one course of action he could see himself taking in this situation. It didn't matter whether he liked Jimin or not. He was committed to his girlfriend. He wasn't going to disrupt their relationship. Not for anything.

* * *

Jungkook looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, a toothbrush hanging out of the side of his mouth.

'I guess I'm gay now.'

“Huh,” he muttered.

The gay porn he had glimpsed came back into his mind and he shook his head quickly. “No, no. I'm bi at best. And I prefer women. Jimin is just an...anomaly. Just a blip on my radar.”

“Jungkook!”

Jungkook swung his head around as the bathroom door flew open. He gaped at Jimin standing there in a t-shirt and stylish sweatpants. He had no makeup on, his hair was messy, and he looked like he just woke up. Jungkook thought he was beautiful.

Jimin narrowed his eyes at him. “Is that my toothbrush?”

Jungkook pulled the toothbrush out of his mouth and gave it a closer look. “Oh yeah...It is.”

“That's gross! Make sure to throw it away when you're done with it.”

“Why?” Jungkook asked, putting the toothbrush back into his mouth and finishing with brushing his teeth. “I don't have anything.”

“Except cooties.”

“You weren't saying that when you were kissing me last night.”

Silence fell over the bathroom as Jungkook paused in the action of brushing his teeth.

'Oh shit,' he thought. 'Did I say that out loud?'

“...You remember what happened last night?” Jimin asked.

Jungkook avoided looking at Jimin. “Can we pretend I don't?”

“No.”

Jungkook finished brushing his teeth and quickly rinsed his mouth and the toothbrush out before he tried to step out of the bathroom, but Jimin blocked his path with a smirk on his face.

“Do you remember that you wanted to suck my dick?”

Jungkook's face filled with a red hue. “Hyung!” He pushed his way around the smaller man and heard Jimin laugh mischievously behind him. He knew then that he wasn't going to be able to just live this down.

“Now that you're sober I wouldn't refuse!” Jimin shouted after him as Jungkook rushed into the guest bedroom again and locked himself in. He wanted to sink into the floor and get swallowed by the core of the Earth.

* * *

Things only got worse after they were summoned to the company for an unscheduled meeting.

A picture lay in front of them on the conference room table inside the entertainment building. Both Jimin and Jungkook looked at it in confusion while the CEO and their managers and a few other staff members stood inside the room. The picture was an image of Jungkook and Jimin inside a van, Jimin snuggled up comfortably in his lap.

Jungkook knew what situation the image was from. He had woken up to find Jimin sleeping atop him and he hadn't wanted to disturb the other man so he just left him there. But he didn't know who had taken the photo or why. Well, he did know. The only other person who could have taken that particular photo was their driver, but again...he didn't know why.

“What is this?” Jungkook asked.

CEO Bang put his hands into his pockets as he stood and looked at them. “One of our temporary drivers sold this to one of his friends over at Dispatch and then he took off. Of course, we've signed a contract with Dispatch so they don't report anything without coming to us first so...that's why we're here.”

Jungkook furrowed his brow, still not understanding. “I don't get it,” he said. “What is there even to report?” Jimin had sat in his lap before. On camera. He didn't see anything strange or scandalous about the photo.

“Nothing from the picture alone,” Bang PD said. “But if an article about how you two were dating came along with it...”

Jungkook stared at their CEO in complete shock and disbelief. “What?”

“Here's the deal,” Bang PD started, getting to the point of why he called them there in the first place. “You two are doing well on the charts. You're right up there with some of the top kpop groups. But we wanna push you over the edge. And to do that, we need to have you guys stand out. To sell something different than what anyone else is selling in Korea.”

Jungkook was still confused.

But Jimin wasn't.

“Homosexuality,” he said.

Jungkook's head snapped in his direction. But he couldn't read the expression on Jimin's face. As usual, his eyes were covered by a large pair of sunglasses.

Their CEO pointed at Jimin. “Exactly.”

“A PR stunt.”

Bang PD must have heard the same hardness in Jimin's tone that Jungkook did because he reigned in his excitement in order to explain things in a more sincere tone. “Yes, a PR stunt,” the CEO admitted. “But don't think of it negatively. I don't know you guys' sexuality-”

“I'm straight.” Jungkook kicked himself for opening his mouth. He wasn't even sure if he was straight at this point. He assumed it was just habit and a kneejerk reaction at this point to announce how heterosexual he was. He pinched his lips together, thinking for the first time that maybe Jimin had been right all along in calling him an idiot.

“...O-kay,” PD Bang said. “Let me try this again. What I'm trying to say is...I know that, if you're straight, you may feel it's wrong to pretend to be something you're not when there are real people actually struggling with their sexual identity and you're only using it to try to make money off of it and I could see how you could find this insulting on the other hand as well...if you actually live that lifestyle. But don't just think of _why_ we're doing it. Think of the positive things that can come from it. You both are very popular right now. If you do this, maybe Korea could become more accepting. Maybe little boys who like other little boys will start to feel more empowered simply because they see such cool celebrities representing how they feel. Maybe they won't feel they're so out of place anymore. If you could help even one person like that, wouldn't it be worth it?”

Jimin scoffed. His fingers trailed over the wood grain of the table as he spoke. “It's honestly despicable that you're trying to cover your greed for money and attention with all this fake preaching about how it can be for the greater good.”

Jungkook kept his mouth shut, thinking it best not to further stir the tension in the room.

“But...” Jimin said. “...You're not wrong.”

A smile lifted the CEO's lips.

“I'm not saying I'm agreeing to do this,” Jimin said quickly. “It wouldn't be fair for Jungkook to be stuck with this label. Who knows how long he would have to live with this? What if this works and we become more popular than we are now? What if we become superstars and interest in us never fades? Is Jungkook supposed to pretend to be gay for the rest of his life? And we still have to go to the military. Who knows how they'll look at us or treat us if we publicly come out as gay and then enlist?”

“It's all a risk,” the CEO said. “It's even more possible that your popularity will decline if we were to do this, but the potential reward is high.”

“The potential _monetary_ reward. Nothing else.”

“Well, yeah...” the CEO conceded again. “But just think...this way, you'll go down in history regardless of what happens. The first Korean celebrity duo to publicly come out. Together.”

Jungkook watched Jimin's face twist. He could tell that Jimin wasn't fully pleased with this discussion. But then again, he probably wouldn't be either if an integral part of his identity was potentially being used as a gimmick. “If it came out that this was all just a ploy, we would be screwed,” Jungkook chimed in, backing Jimin up on the I'm-not-onboard train.

“There's no way it could come out as fake unless one of you said something,” the CEO said.

Jungkook realized the truth of that statement. No one could really claim they were lying about their sexuality unless they said they lied. And Jungkook knew if they actually went through with this, there was no way he would do that. Not unless he wanted millions of people around the world to view him negatively. He blinked with wide eyes. 'Wait. Why am I even considering this? It's ridiculous.'

“My parents would kill me,” Jungkook said, shaking his head. “And I have a girlfriend. I can't.”

Jungkook never imagined that he would confess to his boss about being in a relationship, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

The CEO sighed. “I understand,” he relented. “I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. It was just a suggestion to merely...elevate you. But you guys are fine with where you're at so...That's fine.”

Jungkook turned to Jimin with a victorious expression, but he was surprised when Jimin didn't share in his satisfaction. He seemed to be deep in thought.

* * *

**Jimin's POV:**

Jimin thought back to how he felt growing up. How difficult he felt it would be to open up to people about what he was feeling inside. How different he felt and how he figured he must be one of the only homosexuals in his hometown, in the city, in the world.

It had sucked. It had really, really sucked.

If one of his idols had revealed themselves to be gay back then, he would have rejoiced. He wouldn't have felt so alone.

He found himself opening his mouth to speak in the conference room. “I'll come out.” A surprised silence fell over the room. Jimin glanced around, and he was sure the shock that was showing on everyone else's faces was a reflection of how he was feeling inside. He couldn't believe he was committing to this. But he also felt that it was the right move to make. “Publicly, I mean.”

The CEO quickly snapped out of his surprise. “You will?”

“Yeah,” Jimin said. “I mean...I won't pretend to date anybody, but...I don't mind telling my truth.”

CEO Bang got over the initial shock of Jimin's indirect coming out to him rather quickly. He was too excited that something might actually come of his wild idea. “Really?” he asked. “You don't have to do anything you don't want to do.”

Jimin nodded before he could change his mind. “Yeah,” he said. “I'm sure. There's truth to what you said about this being important for kids who may be struggling with their sexual identity. Even though your motive isn't entirely wholesome...mine is. So...yeah, I'm fine with it.”

CEO Bang clapped his hands together. “Great!” he said. “Let me get on the phone with some people and figure out the best way to spin this.” He turned to his assistant. “Get us in touch with all of the popular MCs. See who can schedule us the soonest. Try Yoo Jae Suk's people first.”

Jungkook was staring at Jimin with a gaping mouth. He was surprised. And worried. No famous idol of Jimin's popularity had ever publicly come out before. He wasn't sure how the general public was going to take the news. “Are you sure?” he asked Jimin.

“Yeah,” Jimin said with a shrug. “It's 2019. This shouldn't even be considered news anymore.”

Jungkook stared at Jimin with his mouth hanging open. He never thought Jimin looked cooler than in that moment.

* * *

Once the news came out, it spread like wildfire.

' _Park Jimin Comes Out as Gay_ ' an article so succinctly and bluntly read. And many more followed. There was nowhere on the internet or television one could look without running into news about Jimin's sexuality.

Bang PD was very satisfied. Right after the news dropped, Park Jimin's name was on everyone's lips, his music was streaming heavily on Spotify, and YouTube videos that feature Park Jimin were reaching a crazy amount of views. It was hard to tell what the initial overruling audience reaction was because everyone had an opinion and no camp was louder than the other. They were just all loud. They figured they would have to give it a couple of days to see the real effect this would have on them. But in the meantime, Bang PD was just enjoying the publicity. He even had an interview himself where he played the benevolent and accepting father figure of a CEO and said he only ever wanted what was best for his entertainers.

In that way, he positioned himself to become known as the most understanding CEO of an entertainment company. Meaning more talented trainees would come to him. Meaning more money.

Jimin tried not to become overwhelmed about what he had just done. He tried not to regret his decision. But that became hard to do when, not long after the announcement, everyone he had ever associated himself with started to be pulled into the news as well.

Of course Jungkook and Taehyung were two of the main targets.

The comments on Twitter were a good representation of the chaos:

_'Wait. So is he really dating Kim Taehyung?'_

_'Park Jimin and Taehyung are banging. Omg. I don't blame them. They're both too good-looking to not bang.'_

_'I don't think he's dating Taehyung. Have you seen him and Jungkook together? I've suspected there was something there since the beginning.'_

_'Jimin has Taehyung on one hand and Jungkook on the other. What a gay king!'_

_'Do you guys remember that saesang that claimed she saw Jimin and the model, Ryu Won, kissing? In light of the current news, I'm starting to think that was true.'_

_'Ewww! I knew it! He's been trying to seduce Jungkook. Jungkook doesn't want him. Jungkook is straight and Jimin needs to keep his hands off of him.'_

_'Park Jimin might as well say goodbye to his career.'_

* * *

Jimin tried not to listen to Jungkook's phone conversation in the van on their way back from a radio interview. Jimin had seen him fiddling with his phone and ignoring messages many times since the news became public. Now he knew why. Apparently, his mother wasn't happy.

“I can't come home, Mom. I'm under a contract. We would get sued.” His voice was low, an indication that he didn't exactly want Jimin to hear him.

Jimin shifted in his seat, trying his hardest to respect that fact since he didn't want to hear the conversation either. It was obvious Jungkook's parents were trying to get him away from the gay guy. Even if it meant possibly derailing their son's entire career. They probably didn't want their son contaminated. Jimin was beginning to understand where all of Jungkook's views on homosexuality came from.

“Seon Woo?”

Jimin tried really, really hard not to listen. But his ears perked up at Jungkook's questioning tone.

“Tell her I'll call as soon as possible. Yeah. Yeah. All right, Mom. Don't worry. I'm going to be fine. _No!_ ” He shot a glance Jimin's way before turning slightly in his seat as if facing his body away would keep Jimin from hearing his side of the conversation. “No, Mom. He's not trying anything.” He groaned. “This is awkward to talk about over the phone. I'm sorry. I'm hanging up, Mom. Sorry. Bye.” He quickly ended the call and turned his phone off.

An awkward silence descended over the van until Jimin spoke, deciding that avoiding the situation was more tedious than addressing it head-on. “Your mom thinks I'm trying to seduce you?”

“Uhh...Well, no-not-well...” Jungkook stuttered before giving in with a sigh. “I guess.”

Jimin chuckled wryly and shook his head. “Well, what do you think?” Jimin asked.

“Huh?”

“Am I seducing you?” Jimin asked with a teasing smirk.

A blush rose on Jungkook's cheeks and he turned his head to face the window instead of Jimin's gaze.

“Jungkook?”

Jimin was a bit surprised at Jungkook's reaction. He had been expecting a vehement denial or a “you wish”; he hadn't been expecting this.

Jungkook avoided his eyes for the rest of the ride.

* * *

The majority audience reaction soon became clear.

“They hate me,” Jimin surmised.

Online sentiments seemed to back up Jimin's assessment. On every social media page they had, negative comments had begun to outweigh supportive comments ten to one.

Jungkook chewed on his lip and glanced carefully at Jimin. The other man wasn't outwardly showing his emotions, but he saw the way Jimin's fingers nervously clutched the ends of his shirt as he sat in the conference room chair where they had begun all of these ridiculous plans in the first place.

“It's okay,” Bang PD said. “We anticipated this. The initial blowback. Your sales haven't been affected yet, and that's what matters.”

'To you,' Jungkook thought bitterly. He glanced down at his own leg, wearing a hole in the carpet from the way he was nervously bouncing it up and down. He quickly stopped when he realized what he was doing.

He was on edge. About everything.

“We're not going to slow down on promotions no matter what,” Bang PD continued. “If anything, we'll only push you out there more. Are you up for that?”

Jimin continued to fiddle with the bottom of his shirt, but he nodded. He was going to continue through with this.

“Can we have a week?” Jungkook found himself asking.

“What?” The CEO asked, interrupted by Jungkook's sudden question. Jimin was looking at him questioningly as well.

“A week...” Jungkook said. “Before we fill our schedules.”

“Why?” the CEO asked.

“I just...Everything is happening so fast.”

The CEO paused for a moment, thinking it over. “You can get a week off, but we have to push through with interviews for Jimin.”

“No, uh...no. I think Jimin should have time off as well. Before we really get deep into this. I mean...this is gonna be a whirlwind, right? He deserves a little time off. Before that. A week won't hurt.”

Jungkook felt Jimin's eyes boring into the side of his head.

“Is that what you want, Jimin?” the CEO asked.

“Uhh...” Jimin started. “Yeah. That would be nice I think.” Jungkook could feel Jimin's questioning eyes on him as he agreed.

* * *

Jungkook hadn't really had a real plan when he requested the time off. But as he sat in front of Jimin in the older man's apartment, he realized what he needed.

He needed to talk.

They both needed to discuss what was happening. Because, as things were, things were starting to feel slightly out of Jungkook's control.

“Um...Hyung...” His back was pressed against the armrest of Jimin's plush gray sofa while Jimin sat across from him at the other end. They faced each other.

“Yes, Jungkook?”

“Do you like working with me? Or...did you prefer being solo?”

Jimin blinked curiously and gave a slight tilt of his head. “Where is this coming from?”

Jungkook shrugged. “I was just wondering. You didn't want to work with me in the beginning. I was just wondering if that changed...”

“It has,” Jimin said quickly. “I like working with you, Jungkookie.”

“Okay...And I'm doing a good job?”

“Of course,” Jimin said. “You weren't known as the golden trainee for nothing.” He smiled softly. “What's wrong, Jungkook? Why are you asking all of this?”

“Because lately I've been feeling like...” Jungkook tilted his head, searching for the right words. “I've been feeling like I don't know exactly who I am or where I belong...I guess. Sometimes I feel like I'm a completely different person than the person I was back in Busan...”

“It's not a bad thing to change,” Jimin reassured Jungkook. “As long as you're happy with the person you're becoming.”

Jungkook pressed his teeth into his bottom lip and cast his eyes downward.

“...Are you?” Jimin asked.

Flickering his gaze back up to meet Jimin's, Jungkook answered honestly. “I don't know.”

“Well...What kind of changes are we talking about here?”

Jungkook's heart pounded in his chest, and he avoided Jimin's eyes. A slight tremor rushed through his hands, but he pushed the words that had been tormenting him probably since the first time he saw the other man through the barrier of his lips. “I'm attracted to you.”

A heavy and shocked silence hung over the room after Jungkook's quick and sudden confession. Jungkook still couldn't meet Jimin's eyes. If he did, he would have seen the surprise telegraphed there.

Jimin hadn't been expecting this at all. He had his suspicions that the other man had some attraction towards him, of course, but he never expected Jungkook to ever admit it. He had figured that they would just continue to dance around each other until the feelings on both their parts faded or until the tension became too thick that they had to cut off contact and avoid each other for the rest of their lives. He hadn't expected this...clear-cut honesty.

“...Oh...” he said.

He suddenly became aware of his hands in his lap, and he had no idea what to do with them. So he began to twist his fingers together and cleared his throat.

“I wasn't planning to tell you,” Jungkook said. “But it's just...been feeling like this shadow that's been hanging over me. And with everything that's happened and my mom's reaction...It made me realize just how much I can't see her side of things anymore...I feel distant from her. And I feel sad about it. But I also feel kind of...relieved? Like I'm waking up from some kind of fog. But then I also wonder if this is really me or if I go back to Busan, will I go back to being who I was? Maybe being apart from what I knew is the only thing that's causing me to change.” Jungkook sighed. “I'm having an identity crisis.”

Against his will, a chuckle escaped from Jimin's lips. He quickly clapped a hand over his mouth when Jungkook's affronted gaze pierced him. He had just been struck by his incurable disease of thinking everything Jungkook did was cute, and that apparently even extended to the little aggrieved pout Jungkook wore as he spoke about his problems. Jimin dropped his eyes down in shame.

“I'm sorry,” he hurriedly said. “I'm not laughing at you, I promise. Keep going.”

Looking a little suspiciously at Jimin, Jungkook carefully continued. “It's not just that way with my mom. Seon Woo and I...we had our whole lives together planned. But...I used to think about her everyday and now it's becoming harder and harder to remind myself to think about her...And I don't like that. I thought I loved her... _think_ I love her...I don't know. Is all it takes a little bit of time apart to make me a bad boyfriend?”

Jimin thought carefully about what Jungkook was saying, making sure to keep his eyes on his hands so as not to lose himself in the cuteness of on Jeon Jungkook while said man was speaking to him about serious issues in his life.

“I think...” Jimin said. “That we never know who we truly are until we step away from the environment and the people we've always known. Sometimes you need to step away from people entirely and just figure out who you are on your own.”

“As for Seon Woo...I don't feel comfortable speaking about your relationship. I'm sorry.”

“It's okay...” Jungkook said.

“...I'm attracted to you too.”

A shy smile crawled onto Jungkook's lips. “...Okay.”

* * *

For the rest of the day, the two talked about what they would do if Jimin's public coming out continued to be taken negatively and their careers failed.

“I'll go solo,” Jungkook said easily with a shrug. Jimin shot a glare at him until he saw Jungkook's lips turn up into a smile, indicating that he was joking. “I'm just kidding,” he said. “I'll be your duo partner as long as you'll have me.”

Jimin cleared his throat, trying not to show how touched he was by that declaration. “No,” he said. “You were right the first time. You should go solo. It would be stupid to hitch yourself to a sinking ship when you still have potential to get bigger. Besides...if things get too bad, the company will probably start you on solo activities whether you wanted to do them or not. In case you haven't noticed, we don't have much freedom to just do whatever we want.”

Jungkook frowned. “Yeah, I guess...” Then his face hardened with resolve. “Okay, well, I guess that means we'll just have to succeed then. No matter what.”

He held his pinky out for Jimin to take, making a promise as they did the first time they met – the promise to be hyung and dongsaeng forever. Jimin smiled and linked his pinky with Jungkook's before stamping the promise with this thumb, making it official. When they leaned forward to seal the promise with a kiss to their digits was when things got awkward. Maybe it would have helped if they looked away as they leaned in, but they held gazes and the tension skyrocketed. The verbal admittance of their attraction to each other left things in a precarious position.

Jimin didn't know how he would handle this new transition to their relationship, but apparently, Jungkook didn't have those same hang-ups.

“Do you wanna make out?” he asked.

Jimin almost choked on his own saliva. “What?” he asked. “What? No, why, what?” He yanked his hand back to his side.

Jungkook's eyes flashed with determination. There was no shame or hesitation in his request. He pushed on. “We've already done it,” Jungkook said. “We might as well do it again.”

“We were drunk,” Jimin rebutted.

“Yeah, so it's a little fuzzy. And I wanna do it while I'm sober.”

“Why?” Jimin asked, avoiding Jungkook's eyes. “What about your girlfriend?”

Jungkook gulped and finally looked away from Jimin, the regret that was missing finally coming into his eyes. “I'm already a bad boyfriend. I've already screwed up. I'll...think of something.”

“Well...think of something first and then maybe we can make out,” Jimin said. He stood up from the couch and hurried off to make himself busy. “I'm going to take a shower and then read. Umm...You sleep in the guest bedroom.”

“Aww, hyung~!”

“Good night!” Jimin hurried off to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I know it may seem that all of this is happening too easily and that's because...it is. Jungkook has suddenly just accepted this different aspect of himself, and now he's rolling with it...maybe a little too quickly. He's not allowing himself time to process and is - as you glimpsed at the end of this chapter - currently only focusing on fulfilling his curiosity about gay sex. (Which is why the next chapter will probably include smut). I wouldn't say he's entirely grasping and accepting the potential of a gay relationship and living as a gay man yet past the physical aspects of it.
> 
> Okay...Comments? Thoughts? Hate? Let me hear any of it. :D
> 
> Again, anon, thanks for your support as always and sorry for the long, long wait.
> 
> Visit my tumblr or talk to me on Twitter to find out how you can get me to write more. (I promise I'll try to remain consistent with my updates.)
> 
> On Tumblr, I'm fanficnme.  
> On Twitter, I'm @LazyGirlWrites


	17. Diving in the Deep End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer than the other chapters so I hope that makes the wait okay.
> 
> As always, thank you, anon for regularly supporting this fic.

“Is it true?” Seon Woo asked.

Jungkook lay with his phone pressed against his ear in Jimin's guest bedroom. It was a bright morning, but it was hard for him to enjoy the weather when the burden of what he needed to do pressed on his shoulders.

“Yes,” Jungkook said. “Jimin wouldn't lie about something like that.”

Seon Woo's sigh came over the phone. “Well...I wish the best for him. Even though I can't lust after him anymore.”

“You can still lust after him,” Jungkook said. “It's not like you had a real chance with him whether he was gay or straight anyway, so what you fantasize about doesn't matter.”

“Yah!” Seon Woo shouted. “How can you say that to your girlfriend?” she scolded.

Jungkook chuckled.

“Not only do you not care if I fantasize about somebody else, but you're saying I'm not good enough for him.” He could hear her pout over the phone.

“That's not what I'm saying at all,” Jungkook said. “I'm just saying...he would never really notice you.”

“Yah!”

Jungkook felt good to be able to joke with Seon Woo again. He hoped she would want to stay friends after...

He cleared his throat. “...Seon Woo?”

“Yeah. What is it?”

“So...” His throat fought to form words but nothing came out. His Adam's apple only managed to make a few nervous bouncing movements beneath his skin before it settled in a pathetic bout of stillness. Jungkook couldn't do this. What was he thinking? Seon Woo had been his girlfriend for four years. And it had been pleasant. Why ruin a good thing?

“Hmm?” Seon Woo's voice came over the line again, prompting him to say what he wanted to say. She always knew when he needed time to gather his thoughts, never pushy or demanding that he speak. Tears came to Jungkook's eyes.

“Never mind,” he said. “I just miss you, that's all.”

“I miss you too.” He could hear the smile in her voice.

“How's your dad?” Jungkook asked. “You said he was doing better?”

“Yeah. They just gave him an injection, and he was fine.”

They finished having their conversation without Jungkook broaching the subject of a breakup. He wasn't sure he wanted to do it anymore.

How was he supposed to know what the right thing to do was? He wished someone would just tell him exactly what to do.

* * *

“Let's just go ahead and enlist in the military,” Jungkook said that evening as he sat at the kitchen island in Jimin's kitchen, watching Jimin try to bake a cake. Or something. He didn't know. He hadn't paid attention when Jimin was telling him what he was doing.

  
  


“What?” Jimin asked, sending Jungkook a bemused look over his shoulder.

“I mean...since our careers are up in the air. We might as well take this time to take a break, right?”

'And it would be refreshing to give over my life to someone else for almost two years,' Jungkook thought. Someone telling him when to eat, when to sleep, when to take a piss...it sounded ideal right about now. If his life went to shit, it wouldn't be his fault because he wouldn't be the one making the decisions.

“Is this about Seon Woo?” Jimin asked, leaning against the counter, facing Jungkook.

Jungkook pouted, hating that he was so easy to read. “I thought you didn't wanna talk about her.”

Jimin sighed. “That's only because I don't know if I can be completely impartial since I think you're hot,” he said playfully, trying to raise Jungkook's spirits – if only a little.

Jungkook smiled politely, thanking him for the attempt, but it didn't reach his eyes.

“But you can talk about her,” Jimin said seriously. “If nothing else, I can always listen.”

Jungkook shook his head. The truth was he didn't know if there was anything to say. It's not like he didn't know what his problems were. He was attracted to Jimin; he had a girlfriend; he felt like he was just now opening his eyes to the person he was supposed to be and not the person he was back in Busan just following everyone else's lead because he didn't know any other thing to do or way to be.

Yeah, he knew his problems. He just didn't know how to fix them. And he wasn't sure talking would help.

“Thanks,” he said. “But no thanks. I'll figure it out.”

* * *

But thirty minutes later, when the cake was baked and decorated, Jimin stepped out of the kitchen to find Jungkook with his head in his hands. His hair was unkempt as if he had run his hands through it a thousand times – most likely in frustration.

It looked like figuring things out was easier said than done.

Jimin stepped fully into the room and gently placed the cake down on the coffee table. He wasn't sure what he should do. He didn't know if she should try to comfort Jungkook or let him be.

He tried for comfort.

“Umm...” he said. “You know, Jungkook...” He walked forward and sat next to the other man, placing his hand gently on his shoulder. “You don't have to get everything figured out in one day. There's no rush.”

Jungkook shrugged away from his touch and, without looking up, he knew that he hurt Jimin's feelings. “I'm sorry,” he said, his face still buried in his hands. “I'm just so confused right now.”

“That's okay,” Jimin said, careful to comfort him with his words instead of his touch. “I was confused for years before I finally just accepted who I am.”

“But that's just it,” Jungkook agonized, sitting up to stare at Jimin. “I don't know who I am. I don't _know_ if I'm gay or bi or...if I'm just curious. What if I'm messing everything up when all I want is...some kind of variety in bed or something...I don't know.”

He stared at Jimin's concerned eyes. The way his plump lips were pushed out into a pout. He was so pretty. “Or maybe it's just you,” Jungkook whispered, his voice a low gravel.

  
  


Jimin felt a jolt of arousal spark in his lower abdomen, but he hurriedly quashed it, knowing what Jungkook was going through wasn't easy. And he couldn't let his libido dictate how he handled this situation. His tongue flicked out to lick his lips.

“Umm...Maybe it doesn't have to be an official breakup...” Jimin suggested. “You could talk to Seon Woo; tell her you just need a break. To figure some things out.”

Jungkook scoffed. “A break is the same as a breakup.”

Jimin smirked. “Okay, Ross.”

They both sat in silence for a moment. “Well, you can either do that,” Jimin finally said. “Or keep sitting here and not getting _anything_ done.”

“I prefer that option. The second one.”

“You're the worst,” Jimin said, his reluctant smile being antithesis to his words. He stood up and hovered over Jungkook for a moment before brushing his hand gently across his hair. “Well, whatever you do, I support you. Okay?”

It was then that Jungkook's mind became clear. He knew what he was going to do. He smiled gently up at Jimin, touched. He also suspected that he felt something inside of him move, but he didn't want to worry about any potential health problems so he didn't linger on that particular feeling. “Thanks, hyung.”

Jimin gave one more gentle pinch to Jungkook's chin before turning away and picking up the cake he had baked. “We'll save this for later. I was gonna claim it as your coming out cake, but...we're not there yet.”

Jungkook chuckled as Jimin made his way back to the kitchen with the cake in his hands.

He then went to his room and made another call to Seon Woo.

* * *

“ _I hope Jungkook goes solo.”_

“ _I hate the thought of someone as perverted as Jimin being near someone as innocent as Jungkook. What if he corrupts him?”_

“ _We should start a petition to get Jimin kicked out.”_

Jimin couldn't help but to sneak online and read comments even though he had told himself not to. Anger and sadness boiled the blood beneath his skin. He wondered how many of these people he had considered fans before? Had he loved and thanked and performed for these people that were now turning around to stab him in his front and his back?

He needed a drink.

“She cried.”

Jimin looked up, startled, to see Jungkook standing in his bedroom doorway. He quickly closed the laptop in his lap and sat it aside. “She cried?” he repeated. When his mind caught up to the present and stopped lingering on the comments he had just read, he realized what Jungkook must be referring to. He had broken up with his girlfriend. Jimin immediately shifted, immediately wanting to go to the other man to comfort him but unsure if that's what Jungkook would want. “Are you okay?”

Jungkook shrugged. But from the redness of his eyes, Jimin could tell Jungkook had cried too. After knowing him for the time he had known him, Jimin surmised long ago that Jungkook was more sensitive than he liked to let on.

“I'm going to go get us some drinks,” Jimin said, making up his mind.

“It's two in the afternoon,” Jungkook protested lightly.

“Even better,” Jimin said. “We have the whole day to drink away.”

* * *

“Do you think she'll ever talk to you again?” Jimin asked.

They were sitting on the floor of Jimin's bedroom with two bottles of wine and half full wine glasses between them. A random Netflix show was playing on Jimin's laptop screen.

“I don't know,” Jungkook said. “I hope so...”

His glass was mostly untouched. Jimin's was going on empty.

“Don't drink too much,” Jungkook said, gently bringing the glass down from Jimin's lips and setting it away from him.

“Why not?” Jimin was barely buzzed. He wanted to forget the comments he just read.

“What's wrong? You seem almost as upset as I am and you didn't even break up with anybody today.”

“I did.”

“Who?”

“Our fans.”

Jungkook was silent for a moment. “What happened?”

“I read comments.”

“Oh, Jimin...” Jungkook said.

“I know!” Jimin whined with a frown. “I know I shouldn't have. I couldn't help it.”

“Jiminie! Why'd you do that?” Jungkook exaggerated his cry and left honorifics by the wayside in order to lighten the mood.

It worked. Jimin slapped his shoulder and laughed. “I couldn't help it,” he said again. “I couldn't resist.”

“What'd they say?”

Jimin frowned. “They all want me to leave so I can't corrupt you.”

Jungkook scoffed. “What if I want to be corrupted?”

His gaze caught Jimin's and a secretive smile pulled at his lips. Jimin tried to fight back his own but it didn't work. Blushing, he slapped Jungkook's shoulder again.

“You can finally show me what it's all about,” Jungkook said, trying to be seductive but failing since he couldn't maintain eye contact. He turned his gaze away and a small blush creeped up his neck.

Jimin's smile turned gentle. “Are you sure you're ready? We don't have to rush anything.”

“I'm ready,” Jungkook said, sitting up and locking eyes with Jimin once again. “I want to know what it's like.”

Jimin contemplated for a second. He really didn't know if it was the right thing to have sex with a bi-curious man who had just broken up with a long-time girlfriend. Not unless they both knew what they were getting into.

“Okay,” he said. “But just to be clear...I'm not expecting anything after this, you know? You don't have to label yourself as anything you don't completely feel. And we don't have to label our relationship as anything other than what we've been to each other, hyung and dongsaeng. Okay?”

Jungkook smiled. He felt a little lighter after Jimin's words, releasing a weight that he hadn't even been aware he had been holding. “Okay,” he said. “Thank you.”

Jimin chuckled. “Don't thank me after something like that. It's weird.”

Jungkook chuckled as well, his nose scrunching. “Okay,” he said. “So...you wanna...?” He pointed towards the bed.

“Yeah,” Jimin replied. “Get up there.”

* * *

Jungkook's body thrummed with excitement and nerves as he waited for Jimin to come out of the bathroom.

'Should I go ahead and take my clothes off?' he wondered. 'Or would that be weird? Shirt. I'll take my shirt off at least.'

He pulled his shirt off over his head and took a quick glance at his abs to make sure they were still prominent and defined. They were. Good. He turned over onto his side and propped his head up onto his hand, facing the door to Jimin's room and waiting for the other man to come back in. But that felt too staged so he flipped onto his back to stare at the ceiling. That was weird. He took his previous position. He didn't have time to fret anymore when the door opened and Jimin came back inside, his hair slightly wet as if he had pushed his hands through it.

“Just had to sober up a little,” he muttered as he came back inside. “What are you doing?” He held back a smile. Jungkook looked frozen. He appreciated the display of abs though. The smile he tried to hide broke out as his lips quirked upward. “You getting ready for me?” He couldn't keep the husky tone of his voice from slipping through as it truly settled on him that he was finally going to indulge in something he had only previously fantasized about.

The blush that began to creep across Jungkook's face only made Jimin's smile widen. 'Cute,' he thought.

Jimin's stare felt like a physical touch moving across Jungkook's body. He had the fleeting urge to cover himself up and fidget, but he fought it. “Ahem,” Jungkook cleared his throat. “Just...come over here,” he said, trying to sound confident but the demand came out as more of a timid request. “Let's make out first,” he continued. “I think I need to warm up.”

“Don't worry,” Jimin said with a soft smile, wanting to wrap Jungkook up in a swarm of blankets and keep him forever. “I'll be gentle.”

* * *

Their first sober and consent-given kiss was tentative.

Jimin caged Jungkook within the protective frame of his arms as he leaned down to place a soft kiss against the younger man's tremulous lips. He felt Jungkook's hand come up to lay against his side, his touch awkward and unsure as if he didn't know where to touch. Jimin lifted his lips slightly only to press down once again with another gentle touch of his lips against the other man's. He ran a finger down Jungkook's jawline and pulled away to look into his eyes.

“Okay?” he asked. “Do you want to keep going?”

Jungkook blinked as if he was coming out of a fog and nodded.

Jungkook's heart was pounding in his chest. This was actually happening. He was kissing a man.

Jimin.

He was kissing Jimin.

He clenched the shirt at Jimin's side as the older man began to deepen the kiss. The pressure of lips and then the pulsing of a tongue against his own. Jungkook opened to allow it all. It felt nice. More than nice. And his heart continued to pound except it seemed to be pounding in his ears now. Unknowing to himself, a lusty sigh passed his lips and was swallowed by Jimin's own.

“You like that?” Jimin asked, pleased to have heard an auditory response from Jungkook.

Jungkook felt an aroused pinch in his stomach at the question, but it was apparently rhetorical because Jimin didn't give him time to respond before he was kissing him again.

Jungkook lifted Jimin's shirt and gently trailed his fingers along Jimin's waist, feeling the hard muscles there. He was so masculine. Different than the softness he was used to feeling with Seon Woo.

He was surprised to feel his manhood harden at the sensory change, though. There was a rush of adrenaline and a sense of power at the reality of having another man in his bed, responding to the touch of his hands. And this wasn't just any man. This was Park Jimin. A man he had come to view as more than a friend but someone he looked up to as well. Jungkook pulled Jimin to fully straddle him and moved to grasp each of the older man's round hips.

“Mmm,” Jimin moaned, slowly grinding his hardness against Jungkook's own. “I like that baby,” he whispered, his lips moving against Jungkook's. Their breath mingling. “Keep touching me.”

Jimin was always vocal with what he liked in bed, but he made sure to do more of it in this instance, remembering that this was all new to Jungkook. He was about to take his same sex virginity.

Jungkook startled a little at Jimin's use of a pet name, but he heeded Jimin's words and squeezed Jimin's firm ass causing the older man to grind against him once again. A furrow appeared in Jungkook's brow as he became overwhelmed by the pleasurable friction of their bodies.

Jimin sat up and pulled his shirt over his head. Keeping him steady with his hands on his hips, Jungkook admired the view. Jimin's skin stretched over the tight muscles of a hardened chest. Jungkook chuckled.

“It's weird,” he muttered.

Jimin threw his shirt aside and asked, “What?”

“To not see boobs.”

Jimin almost laughed. Almost. Instead, he placed a light slap against Jungkook's cheek. “Get your mind off boobs.”

Jungkook felt that pinch of arousal low in his stomach again. He shifted his hips against Jimin to let him know non-verbally that his mind was where it needed to be in the moment.

Jimin fell back over Jungkook and pressed a hot kiss to his mouth. “After what I'm going to do to you, you'll never think about boobs again,” Jimin whispered in a gravelly tone.

After sending a roller coaster looping inside Jungkook's stomach with his words, Jimin began to trail kisses from Jungkook's jaw down to his neck, making sure to keep things relatively slow since he remembered Jungkook's words of needing to warm up. Jimin was determined to rile him up until he was begging.

He kissed his way down Jungkook's chest, lightly dragging his tongue around each nipple, causing Jungkook to shudder with pleasure. He then continued his way down, appreciating Jungkook's skin with his lips. Worshiping it. He made it to his stomach and placed wet kisses against every taut muscle there. He felt Jungkook's stomach contract with each short breath he took.

When he made it to the hem of Jungkook's pants, he pulled gently on them, prompting Jungkook to lift his hips so he could slide them off.

After stripping Jungkook of his pants, Jimin made his way back up the smooth expanse of Jungkook's muscled thigh – trailing kisses until his head was nestled between his legs right next to his crotch.

Jungkook watched him with hooded eyes and the sight alone made his dick twitch in his elastic boxers. “Oh my God,” he murmured, slightly overwhelmed by everything that was happening. “Oh my God.”

Jimin laid a kiss against the bulge beneath Jungkook's boxers, causing the younger man to contract with pleasure. When Jimin released him from his boxers and sank down onto his hardened member with the warmth of his mouth, Jungkook groaned.

The suction of Jimin's mouth left him threw his mind into turmoil. He threw his head back with pleasure, pressing an imprint into the pillow beneath him. His hand fumbled for something to hold onto, landing on the back of Jimin's head. As he felt the bobbing of Jimin's head going up and down, an involuntary moan left his throat.

“Hyung,” he moaned. He didn't recognize his voice. “It feels so- so good.”

Unbidden words came to his mind in the voice of his mother.

“ _Just thinking about two men together...It's disgusting.”_

In the voice of the preacher of the church he and his mom used to visit.

“ _The Western trend of homosexuality is spreading. It's a sin!”_

Jungkook's fingers curled into Jimin's hair as his body continued to be wracked with pleasure. Everything that Jungkook had heard about homosexuality was bombarding his mind and filling him with the feeling that what he was doing was wrong, but he couldn't stop. Instead of those thoughts repelling him, they only aroused him further. He felt that he was doing something forbidden...and he liked it.

He bit into the flesh of his lip as confused feeling swirled within him. But he only focused on one.

Jimin grasped the base of his penis firmly and Jungkook saw stars. “J-Jimin,” Jungkook choked out. He bucked his hips up into Jimin's open mouth. An embarrassing whimper escaped his lips when Jimin pulled away.

“Be still for me, cutie,” Jimin requested.

Jungkook moved his hands from Jimin's head and clenched his fists into the bedsheets willing himself to be still for his hyung. When his hips were completely unmoving, save for the shudders that Jungkook's restraint was causing to wrack through his body, Jimin sank down onto Jungkook's member again. And he went all the way, taking all of Jungkook's length.

Jungkook's eyes rolled closed as he was completely engulfed in the heat of Jimin's mouth. His body shook with strain as he tried to keep himself from pumping up into Jimin's throat. He could feel the workings of Jimin's throat against the tip of his member. It felt amazing.

It wasn't that the feeling of receiving a blowjob was foreign to him. Seon Woo had been generous in their relationship, but there was something about being held firmly against the mattress at the waist by Jimin's firm grip as he swallowed him down that made Jungkook feel overtaken, powerless, and...fucking close.

“Hyung,” he moaned. “I'm gonna come. I'm gonna come.” His feet slid against the sheets as he fought the urge, unsure if Jimin wanted him to orgasm in that moment.

Jimin pulled off of him and Jungkook had the answer to that question. Jimin wanted to prolong this as much as Jungkook did.

Jungkook's eyes drifted open and his loins swirled with desire when he was met with Jimin's smug smirk looking down at him. He knew he must look wrecked, splayed out beneath the older man with a flushed face, barely able to breathe steadily or hold out for more than two minutes. He suddenly felt a swell of masculine pride and wanted to take some power back. So he did the only thing he could think to do in the moment. “Fuck you,” he cursed Jimin's handsome face weakly. Maybe it would have been more intimidating if his breath wasn't still stuttering or if his face didn't land into a pout afterwards.

Jimin chuckled. “Cute,” he muttered.

He leaned over the younger male and laid gentle kisses against his chest and neck until Jungkook's breath had evened out. Then he moved back down between Jungkook's legs and licked delicately at his perineum and balls while gently stroking his dick.

Short, broken moans escaped Jungkook's lips and his hips jerked involuntarily with every pulse of pleasure Jimin sent through his body.

“I like hearing your noises,” Jimin said, his voice heavy with desire. His breath fanning over Jungkook's most sensitive areas. “So pretty. Just like you.” Jimin continued to lave wet kisses over Jungkook's most intimate areas of pleasure.

Meanwhile, Jungkook blushed at Jimin's words. He had never been called pretty before.

When Jungkook's hips began to thrust up into the air again, Jimin sat onto his knees. His eyes were dark and filled with desire as he rid himself of his clothing until he was as naked as Jungkook.

Jungkook's eyes immediately fell to Jimin's dick.

It was pretty. And erect. And not intimidating.

Jungkook was glad to see that Jimin had been telling the truth. He wasn't very big. And Jungkook was happy about that. It prompted him to want to try what he had been most curious about.

“Do you want to top?” Jimin asked. He didn't even voice the other option because he thought he knew what Jungkook's answer would be, but Jungkook surprised him by shaking his head.

Jungkook wanted to bottom.

He had to know how it felt.

Surprise fell over Jimin's face for a second before his gut churned with pleasure at the thought of what this meant. “Okay,” he said. “We have to prep you then.”

While Jungkook was being “prepped”, he felt shy, vulnerable, and exposed. He turned his head to the side, avoiding looking at Jimin, while the older man kissed his chest and gently spread lube...everywhere. He flinched when Jimin's hand found his hole and began to move against his rim. He had never been touched there before. His face flushed.

He couldn't help the sound of uncertainty that escaped his lips.

Jimin looked up at him and placed a kiss against the corner of his lips. “Don't think too much,” he whispered. “Just feel.”

Jungkook closed his eyes and did just that, coaxed by Jimin's gentle lips and even gentler whispers.

He focused on Jimin's fingers. Just a ghost of a touch at first, but then he felt Jimin press against him a little more firmly. Jungkook gasped.

He felt Jimin pull away for a moment to apply more lube to his hands and then he was back again. His fingers stroking his entrance as if to get the younger man used to his touch. Small jolts of pleasure passed through Jungkook as Jimin's slicked fingers ran across his perineum. He gasped when Jimin took ahold of the base of his penis again and began to stroke gently. The pleasure of the friction distracted Jungkook from Jimin's ministrations at his hole until Jimin slowly began to press inside.

Jungkook tensed.

“Shhh,” Jimin whispered softly. “Relax, baby.” He applied more pressure to his grip on Jungkook's member but kept his stroking slow.

Jungkook's muscles began to soften underneath Jimin's firm strokes and gentle whispers. Soon, he was loosened up enough for Jimin's finger to slip inside. A gasp fell from Jungkook's lips. Jimin studied his face carefully as he slowly began to move his finger in and out. When small whimpers began to escape Jungkook's throat, Jimin rained soft kisses on every part of his face. “Feel free to tell me to stop if it gets too much,” Jimin whispered.

Jungkook nodded, his eyes shut tight. He wasn't sure if he could vocally respond. He was experiencing too many feelings – both physical and emotional. He felt vulnerable and exposed and...Jimin's finger inside of him didn't feel so bad. It didn't feel bad at all. He gasped when he felt Jimin slowly push another finger into him. He forced himself to stay relaxed when he felt himself about to tense up again.

“You're doing so good,” Jimin whispered. “I'm going to make you feel so good.”

Jimin's own hard-on was fully erect and standing at attention. He could practically feel his member throbbing with desire. Jungkook was giving himself over to him fully, trusting him completely, and it had him buzzing with anticipation and arousal. He had to hold himself back from speeding up his preparation due to his impatience to get inside of the younger man.

Jungkook's breathing grew heavier and he lifted his hips. The feeling of being penetrated was surprisingly invigorating. There was a level of intimacy that he had never quite felt before when having sex. “Ah!” he gasped out.

Jimin pushed his fingers all the way inside and moved them in search of Jungkook's sweet spot. He knew when he hit it. Jungkook's eyes shot open and he released another vocal exclamation. His hips jerked upward. “Jimin!” he gasped.

Jimin watched him hungrily. “Jungkook,” he gasped, barely able to hold back anymore. “I'm about to get inside of you, okay?”

Jungkook nodded, again not speaking.

“Tell me,” Jimin said, his fingers still moving inside of Jungkook. “Tell me you want me inside of you.”

Jungkook opened his mouth. “I want...”

Through his anticipation, he felt a bit self-conscious.

“ _A man being with another man is unnatural.”_

He pushed his anxiety away.

“I want you inside of me, Jimin.”

Jimin dove forward and pressed his lips against Jungkook's before breaking away, putting on a condom, and spreading more lube over his dick. He had forgotten to keep hiding how eager he was.

Jungkook watched Jimin stroke his hand over his hardened member and then line it up at his entrance. He licked his lips, his heart pounding with anticipation and nerves and his stomach twirling.

Jimin began to push in and Jungkook closed his eyes, ready to jump into the deep end and take all that Park Jimin was going to give.

* * *

Jimin soon found that he didn't need to be as gentle as he initially thought he would have to be.

Jungkook was animated beneath him and met each of Jimin's thrusts with an upward push of his hips. His rhythm ran ahead of Jimin, causing Jimin to speed up to meet his pace. So Jimin gave up on trying to hold back. He pushed fully into Jungkook with each thrust, his breathing heavy and fast, making sure to hit Jungkook's prostate whenever the other man's eager gyrating didn't disrupt his plans.

Jungkook released a high-pitched moan when Jimin successfully hit that spot again. He indulged in the sounds coming out of his own mouth, intrigued by Jimin's lack of judgment and his own growing confidence in making those noises without feeling embarrassed. “Jimin,” he moaned, gripping the other man's shoulders. “Jimin, Jimin, Jimin.”

The name fell from his lips like a chant.

He had nothing to say except Jimin.

He hadn't expected it to feel this good. He didn't know it was possible. The overwhelming pain he had expected wasn't there. All he felt was wave after wave of pleasure.

Jimin bent his body over Jungkook's, causing the other man to curl slightly under him and continued to snap his hips quickly against the younger man's own muscled buttocks. The tightness and warmth of Jungkook's walls kept the pleasure building inside of him.

He was glad that they were in their promotional period because he wasn't sure if he would have the stamina to maintain the pace Jungkook had set for as long as he had if he weren't being active onstage everyday.

His heart pounded in his chest and sweat began to build up at his temples, but he was too enraptured by Jungkook's whines and expressions of pleasure to even think about slowing down.

“You like that, Kookie?” His voice came out sounding broken. “You like getting fucked?”

Jungkook moaned loudly. Jimin took that as a yes.

He buried his face into the crook of Jungkook's neck, buckling over from the exhaustion and pleasure coursing through his body. He caught the sweet scent of Jungkook's cologne and breathed it in. “You feel so good, Kookie,” he moaned. “You're taking it so well.”

He felt Jungkook's grip on his shoulders tighten, pleased by the words.

“Jimin.”

Jimin felt Jungkook's breath ghosting his ear as he spoke.

“I'm gonna- I'm gonna come. I'm gonna come.”

Jimin pushed himself onto his hands so that he could look down at Jungkook's face as he began to fall apart. “Come for me, baby.”

He reached down and began to stroke Jungkook's dick at the same pace as he thrust into him.

Jungkook could just imagine how he looked beneath Jimin. How Jimin looked moving hectically inside of him. The muscles of his stomach clenched and he felt his release building, building until it spilled out over Jimin's hand and across his stomach.

Jimin watched him the whole time and his orgasm face pulled Jimin's own orgasm from him. He thrusted and held himself inside of Jungkook's warmth as his seed spilled into the condom he wore. He thrust again involuntarily as he came down from the shocks of his orgasm. And then he thrust again just for good measure, just to prolong a second more of the high of his climax.

Once he was spent, he gently pulled out of Jungkook – who was breathing heavily – and rolled off to the side. He pulled the soiled condom off and dropped it over the side of the bed, deciding he'd pick it up after he caught his breath.

He rolled over onto his side and watched Jungkook, who was lying on the bed, panting, with his eyes closed. He wanted to reach out and touch him, but he also felt as if he needed a moment to himself. So he waited.

Eventually, Jungkook's eyes opened.

When Jungkook glanced over at him and then just as quickly looked away, Jimin smiled. “Why?” he asked. “Why are you acting shy after what we just did?”

Jungkook was quiet. He wasn't sure what to say. He was still reeling from everything he felt.

“Was it okay?” Jimin asked, growing a little concerned with Jungkook's silence. “Did you like it?”

Jungkook nodded, still quiet.

“Wait here,” Jimin said, getting up from the bed. He figured cleaning Jungkook up and giving him some pampering afterwards might loosen him up. He climbed off the bed, threw the used condom away and then made his way to the bathroom. He wasn't aware that he was rushing, a little afraid that Jungkook would be gone before he got back. But his fears were unwarranted. When he got back with a warm, wet towel, Jungkook was still there – sitting up against the headboard with the covers hiding his bottom half.

“Here,” Jimin said, climbing up onto the bed and handing him the towel. “Wipe yourself off with that.”

Jungkook did as instructed and wiped the semen off of his chest.

When he was done, he tossed the towel in a hamper in the corner of the room.

Jimin shot up again and trotted to the guest room, which could now be considered Jungkook's room at this point, and found the younger man's stash of underwear. Jungkook had started to bring fresh clothing items over to change into since he stayed over at Jimin's house so much. When he had a pair in his hands, Jimin rushed back.

“Here,” he said, going to the side of the bed and handing them off to Jungkook who slid them on. Jimin went to his closet and pulled on his own pair of clean underwear before joining Jungkook in bed again.

He tugged gently on Jungkook's wrist to get him to lie completely on his back again before sidling over and wrapping himself against his side. “Do you want something to eat?” he asked. “Or something to drink?” He knew how tiring sex could be.

He had never been so anxious about someone else's comfort after sex before, but Jimin wanted to make sure that everything was as comfortable as it could be for the younger man lying next to him.

He rested his chin on Jungkook's chest in order to see his face and read his expression.

“I'm fine,” Jungkook said, his eyes once again flitting to Jimin's face before quickly bouncing away.

“You're not saying anything,” Jimin said. “It's scaring me a little bit.”

“It's just...” Jungkook searched for the words he wanted to say. “It- I liked it more than I expected to, hyung. That kind of freaks me out a little bit.”

Jimin laid his cheek against Jungkook's chest to hide his smile from the other man. “Oh.”

He was glad it wasn't because Jungkook was suddenly regretting his actions.

“I was sure it would hurt more,” Jungkook continued.

Jimin chuckled. “Well...You'll probably feel a little sore when you try to move,” he said. “But it won't be bad.”

Another silence fell on the room and Jimin turned to face Jungkook again who looked like he was contemplating his entire existence. “Stop thinking,” Jimin chided. “You're going to wear a hole in your brain.” He lifted himself up onto his elbow so that he could get a better view of Jungkook's face. “Like I said, you don't have to label yourself after this or worry too much about who you are. Just take things as they come.”

Jungkook met eyes with Jimin and finally didn't look away.

Honestly, he still felt a little weird about cuddling with another man after having sex and he didn't quite know what that feeling meant. Was this just a sex thing? Like a kink? Or a fetish? Or was he genuinely into having romantic relationships with men? With a man named Park Jimin, specifically?

He cleared his brow at the same moment that he cleared the thoughts from his head.

Jimin was right. Now wasn't the time to worry about.

For now, he would just enjoy the warmth of the body next to him and the come down from the exhilaration he had just experienced.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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> 
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